The Serpent’s Blood
by ahilty
Summary: Deep the bowels of Hogwarts there is a Chamber of Secrets. This Chamber once held a horrible monster, but the monster was not the only thing hidden. There is another Heir, a duelist. Now the truth shall be told. Sequel to Bridging the Gap.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

An Author's Note: Welcome to the sequel to Bridging the Gap. If you have not read that story then go ahead and do that now.

For everyone else, enjoy…

* * *

Chapter 1

And Now for a Bit of News

Deep in the Void there lives a creature. By all accounts a female creature, if one can really truly assign such labels to semi omnipotent beings, but for ease let's just call her female. She certainly considers herself female.

And who is going to argue with the Black Fox?

Actually, to be honest that is exactly what someone was going to do right now…

"Why did you kill him?" This someone asked.

The Black Fox turned around and stared at the globe a few miles down. She and the other were currently in the Void, staring down at the planet in front of them. The Fox grinned.

"Who?" she asked.

"Shadi!"

"You know my goals, our goals. We needed seven holders for seven items. Shadi wanted only one holder, the Pharaoh. And you know what would have happened!"

The figure winced "But there was no reason-"

"You are the one who approached me with this!" The Black Fox growled.

"I asked you to help them! Not kill them!"

"Shadi was going to die anyway." The Black Fox said with a sneer. "Better he go sooner before he could cause too much damage to our plan! It was hard enough influencing that diseased mind of his enough so that he would pass on the Ankh to Harry Potter!"

The figure sighed "I don't want them to suffer it again…it's bad enough it happened the first time."

"I know what I am doing." The Fox said, her grin showing off all her large sharp white teeth. "Trust me…"

* * *

From a local London muggle newspaper:

**String of Card Based Crimes Baffle**

For the past few weeks a string of odd thefts have broken out in the London area. Every single store broken where only relived of packs of cards from a game known as Duel Monsters. Strangely, the stores showed no evidence of being broken into. In two cases the store owners where found dead, but without a mark on them. Neighbors reported strange green lights the night before, but no clear leads have been found…

The night was dark. Dark and wet. Dark and wet and cold.

In other words, typical English weather.

A man was walking down the street. Why he was doing this at eleven at night one can only guess. However, that really does not matter, as the fact that he was being stalked by someone was a wee bit more important.

His stalker looked like she had just walked out of a horror movie. Bellatrix Lestrange, a Death Eater and certified loony toon, had pegged this pathetic muggle as an easy target. She wanted to run a test. A test for her new little toy that her wonderful master had blessed her with.

Mad grin fixed on her face she pulled out her wand and used a Disarming Charm to blast her victim into an alley. She did not want to be seen.

The man had been blown to the ground, and he looked up at his attacker with puzzlement in his eyes. Lestrange grinned and held up her new toy.

A Duel Monsters card.

"Beiige, Vanguard of Dark World." She said, and a disgusting humanoid monster with bone armor and a sharp spear appeared. It roared at its human victim, who cowered away from the beast.

The monster lifted its spear, intent on pinning the man to the ground, but it was stopped by its master's voice.

"No!" Lestrange said. "Play with it a little bit! Stupid monster! Don't you know how to have fun?"

The monster seemed to roll its eyes. It sighed. This girl just totally missed the point!

Lestrange started to laugh as her monster gave the man a few uninterested pokes.

Evil laughter erupted from the other end of the alley, Lestrange and her monster looked up and saw someone in a long black trench coat glaring at them. This person had long white hair and narrowed brown eyes. A small Hungarian Horntail dragon was perched on the person's shoulder.

"How do you like your little mistress, little fiend monster?" Yami Bakura said with a grin.

"Mudblood!" Lestrange bellowed. Instinctively she pointed her wand at the duelist. "Crucio!"

Yami Bakura dodged. The small dragon flew into the air, screeching at Lestrange in an angry manner. Yami Bakura pulled out a card of his own and summoned his monster. "Come, Felgrand Dragon!"

The golden dragon roared to life. "Beiige! Come and face me!" the dragon bellowed.

The fiend monster tightened its grip on the spear it carried. Lestrange grinned, pointed her wand at her monster and muttered a spell. The fiend seemed to swell and grew larger. It roared and attacked Gorneel. It thrust its spear into Gorneel's chest.

"Arg! Little help here, brother!" the dragon roared.

Yami Bakura growled and played a Rush Recklessly card, which gave Gorneel enough power to push Beiige away. The dragon blasted his enemy away, though it took twice as much force as it normally would have.

Lestrange decided to err on the side of caution, she Dispparated away from the scene of the crime as fast as she could.

"Coward, isn't she?" Gorneel grumbled. Yami Bakura nodded. Robot the mini Horntail landed back on Bakura's shoulder with an irritated hiss.

Lestrange's victim, meanwhile, was trying to head to the proverbial hills while he still could. His heart sank when Yami Bakura fixed a glare his direction. The Millennium Ring around Bakura's neck shone brightly. The man was transfixed.

"Ring, erase his mind." Yami Bakura said, and the Ring shone even more brightly.

As the light faded, the man shook his head, wondering why in the world he was in this dirty alley on the ground.

Neither Bakura nor the two dragons were anywhere in sight.

* * *

While not as fast as Apparation, Bakura's little trick of using the shadows to travel around was still very convenient. For one thing using this trick (which many were starting to label as "Shadowwalking") could bypass the anti-Apparation spells over Hogwarts.

What was better, was that the Ministry of Magic did not have a way to detect Shadow Magic, so Bakura could use it freely even though he was underage.

Although, since the other side was using Shadow Magic as well now, the fact that the Ministry could not detect it was a bit of a problem.

What was interesting, was the fact that, while the Death Eaters were using Shadow Magic, there had yet to be an actual Shadow Game. Yami Bakura thought that this might have something to do with the fact that Death Eaters really did not play games, so instead they tried to wield Shadow Magic like they wielded their magic. It made for some…interesting encounters. Yami Bakura was sure if they could corner a Death Eater then he could bet them in a Shadow Game, but the Death Eater's would not stand still long enough for him to declare one.

In a way, the Death Eaters played liked the old priests of Egypt…only more hamhanded.

As the Shadow's faded Yami Bakura found himself in Dumbledore's office. Robot hissed at the wizard's phoenix, Fawkes, who trilled back at the little lizard.

Dumbledore looked up and smiled at Yami Bakura. Yami Bakura just scowled back. This did not bother Dumbledore that much. It was the spirit's way to act this way, and the old wizard did not begrudge him that.

"Your hand alright?" Yami Bakura asked, trying not to sound too interested.

"It is alright." Dumbledore said, a bit of tiredness in his voice.

Yami Bakura snorted. He wished he knew what this man was up to. Yami Bakura remembered the day this fool wizard had shortened his existence by playing around with some odd ring…thing. Something that was rank with Dark Magic. Yami Bakura knew perfectly well that Albus Dumbledore was dieing, but for some reason that did not seem to bother Dumbledore.

It bothered Yami Bakura, but he did not want to admit it. Part of it was the fact that Dumbledore was doing something that Yami Bakura did not know about, and the ancient spirit hated not knowing. Another part was that Yami Bakura was starting to respect Dumbledore, just a bit.

"Did you find out anything?" Dumbledore asked.

Yami Bakura nodded "The Death Eaters are defiantly using Duel Monsters now. I just got into a small skirmish with Lestrange."

"Is she in the Shadow Realm?" Dumbledore asked mildly.

"No."

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow "Didn't you just say that you had a Shadow Game with her?"

Yami Bakura shook his head "You don't need to declare a Shadow Game to use the magic, it is just the most…frequently used."

Dumbledore nodded "I see…" He closed his eyes and seemed to think for a moment "Yami Bakura, you think you could face any more Death Eaters in battle tonight, if you could?"

Yami Bakura smirked "They are amateurs when it comes to Shadow Magic. I could defeat them easily." _And hopefully next time send them to the Shadow Realm._

"Ah, good." Dumbledore said as he got up "Then you will not mind coming with me to number four Privet Drive then?"

"…why?"

"To pick up Harry Potter."

"…fine."

* * *

A/N: What will the evil Dursley's think when they meet our buddy Yami Bakura? Will they survive the encounter?

Stay tuned.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

In Which Bakura is Very Mean to the Dursleys

* * *

/Sweet Ra…what is this horrible place?/

/I belive it is called the suburbs, Yami./

/It's so…so…uniform!/

/I know Yami./

Yami Bakura glared at Privet Drive as if the street had somehow greatly offended him. Robot hissed and launched himself into the air, circling the area. He was searching for any Death Eater activity. Not finding anything dangerous, the little dragon landed back on his "masters" shoulder and growled. Dumbledore grinned and used a silvery thing to put out the streetlight.

The headmaster walked up the driveway to number four and rang the bell. Bakura kept to his side, keeping an eye out for anything he could kill or maim, or at least terrorize, with half an excuse.

"Who the blazes is calling at this time of night?" A blustery voice bellowed from inside the house.

The door opened and Yami Bakura raised an eyebrow.

/Light…is that a human or a walrus crossed with a hog?/ While both of them had seen the Dursleys from a distance a while back, it was quite a different thing to see the huge mound of fat right in front of your face. Normally, Yami Bakura would have just shoved past, but he did not think even he could lift that huge pile of blubber.

Heck, it would have given Gorneel trouble, and he was a dragon!

Dumbledore smiled "Good evening. You must be Mr. Dursley. I daresay Harry has told you we would be coming for him?"

The man…or walrushog, glared and turned a nasty shade of purple. Yami Bakura scowled right back and growled. He was losing patience. With a sneer he approached Dursley and said "Move."

The man grew even purple. "You can't barge in here in the dead of night, you little freak!"

At once a very sharp knife was aimed at the fat man's nose "Do not test me, fool. I don't want to have to clean this blade twitch in one day."

"Now, now, Bakura. NO need to be so forceful." Dumbledore said, as if he was discussing evening tea "Judging by Mr. Dursley's stunned disbelief, Harry did not warn him that we were coming. However," he smiled pleasantly at Dursley "let us assume that you have invited us warmly into your house. It is unwise to linger overlong on doorsteps in these troubled times." Somehow, with his own brand of natural magic, Dumbledore managed to…not exactly shove his way in, but he did have the air of someone would not be denied.

Bakura kept glaring at Dursley, as if he was still contemplating sudden death. There was just something about this man that made the yami want to kill something. He was aware that Dumbledore was saying something about the potted plants, but the yami did not care.

He had mischief on his mind.

However, something Dumbledore said must have irritated Dursley, because Yami Bakura was suddenly aware of him saying "I don't mean to be rude—" but the words were said in such a way that guaranteed rudeness so much that Yami Bakura felt it was a good idea to shut the man up by giving off his trademark evil laugh.

"WHAT IS SO FUNNY?" Dursley bellowed.

Yami Bakura smirked and folded his arms "A fat pig dressed in his pajamas pretending he has manners."

Dursley looked ready to lunge at Yami Bakura, but from somewhere behind him a voice squeaked "Please no, the neighbors will wake up!"

Yami Bakura craned his head to stare at a tall thin, horse like women and another fat person, younger then his father but actually larger.

That was scary.

The spirit laughed again and said "Oh yeees, must make sure the bloody NEIGHBORS don't know that you have a THREE WIZARDS IN THE HOUSE!" Sadistically the yami leaned outside to shout that last part out into the street. As if to help his caretaker, Robot also leaned out and let out a dragonic shriek that was sure to be heard.

Dumbledore gave the yami a mournful look. Perhaps bringing him along had been a mistake. "Bakura, why don't you check the house to make sure your shouting did not attract anyone…unwanted." He said in a gentle yet firm tone.

He was a bit surprised that the yami agreed, and rather quickly. Then it occurred to the headmaster that Yami Bakura might be planning something mean. However, it would at least distract him from committing mass murder right here and now. And Dumbledore still needed to talk to Harry.

So while Dumbledore escorted everyone else, including a sleeping and slightly poleaxed Harry (he had not expected to see Yami Bakura here), said evil spirit got free range of the house.

As he walked down the hallways Bakura made sure to pilfer a small crystal knickknack, a small marble figurine, a jade figure of a cat, and a couple of small silver spoons. All of that had been on display, but the items were small enough to fit in his pockets, and they would not be missed until the group was long gone. He also encouraged Robot to defecate in the local potted plants…though that might have been a favor due to the magical properties of dragon dung. Entering the kitchen, the yami stuck a few magical firecrackers that would light up when wet deep in the sink. He rummaged through the cupboards and found Dudley's secrete stash of snacks, which he snatched. Robot found some boxes of cookies and nibbled on each one of them. Deciding he needed to answer natures call once more, the dragon found the Dursley's orange juice and added to the content.

/You two are just plain mean./ Bakura said with an affectionate sigh.

/If anyone deservers this more then Umbitch it's these lardarses./ Yami Bakura retorted. Bakura could not say anything to that. Facts were facts after all.

They ambled back to where Dumbledore was talking to Harry and the Dursleys. Harry was saying something about finishing up packing.

"Ah, Bakura, why don't you go help Harry pack?" Dumbledore said pleasantly.

"Hmp, patrol the house, help pack, anything else you want to put on me, old man?" the spirit growled as he followed Harry.

Harry could not take it any more "What are you DOING here?" he asked. "Aren't you supposed to be in Japan? How did you get here?"

"I'm helping Dumbledore. Yes, I am supposed to be in Japan, and I will be going back today. I've been using the Shadows to travel here and back."

"Oh…how?"

Yami Bakura shrugged. "You just briefly enter the Shadow Realm and travel through it to your destination. It requires a lot of concentration and determination, and it is slower then Apperation, but it is undetectable from the Ministry. I plan to come here at least once a week."

"Why?"

"Because the Death Eaters have somehow learned to use the Shadows. They are summoning monsters and taking souls, probably at Zorc's and Voldemort's command."

Harry cursed as he started to pack the rest of his stuff, with Bakura's help. His yami had refused to do "slave work", and had let his light do the packing.

Harry, who had kinda learned to tell the difference between light and dark, looked at Bakura and said "Could I learn that shadow traveling thing?"

Bakura shrugged "Well, like my yami said it is very difficult. In fact I can't do it at all. It's my yami who does the work. He's just so much better at this dark and evil stuff then I am." Bakura grinned 'And besides that, you know what my yami thinks of your learning skills."

Harry sighed and turned to the window "I know Bakura. I was stupid. I should have listened to your yami…and because I did not Sirius" Harry seemed to choke on his words, but swallowed and continued "I've been practicing with the Ankh, and with my Lycanthrope. I will not let anything like the Ministry fight happen again!" The boy's voice was filled with such venom that Bakura wondered if the boy had his own secrete yami. Harry's eyes were stony and hard, and for a moment Bakura could see why the Sorting Hat might had thought to put him in Slytherin. "Next time will be different!" Harry said.

Bakura nodded.

Finally they were finished and ready to go, especially Harry. At first Yami Bakura was going to leave the Dursleys in relative peace, but Dumbledore mentioned something about the Dursleys treatment of their own son. Yami Bakura waited till the other two wizards were out the door before he turned to Dudley and pointed at him. The porky boy shrank back and moaned.

"You seem to think you did this little baby a favor by treating him like a king. Let me tell you what the old man meant. Your son is a spoiled, pampered little bully that has not idea of what real life is like. You have turned him into a disgusting leech of a human that could do nothing but suck the life out of all he meets."

"Now see here!" Dursley stood up "You think you can tell us what to do just because you have that stick-"

"I know what I am talking about through experience, you fat pig." Yami Bakura snarled "One of these days you will not be here, and then what will your precious little piggy prince do? The rest of the world does not coddle people, and it will not coddle your piglet once you are gone!"

"How dare you threaten my family!"

"Bah! Idiot! You will see one day, and it will be too late." Yami Bakura turned around, and then said. "Of course, I could be wrong," he smirked over his shoulder "He could always end up with diabetes." Yami Bakura slammed the door and went to join Dumbledore and Harry.

* * *

A/N: I apologize to anyone with diabetes for Yami Bakura's last remark. But you cannot deny that when you look at Dudley you cannot help but think "diabetes". I don't own Harry Potter or Yugioh.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Yet More Talking

Yami Bakura was still scowling as he rejoined the other two. Harry was looking distinctly uncomfortable, but it was unclear if that was because he was standing out here in the middle of the night with his headmaster, a lunatic, and a dragon, or if he was just embarrassed by Yami Bakura's treatment of his "relatives".

"We going to that burrow place?" Yami Bakura snarled at Dumbledore. Harry's heart leapt in his chest at the idea of spending the rest of the summer at a decent place.

"Unfortunately, we have one more place to visit." Dumbledore said "But it shall not take long."

Yami Bakura grumbled a bit, but to Harry's surprise he seemed to accept this. It was a little odd. Perhaps Dumbledore had some sort of calming effect on the violent spirit.

Or maybe Bakura was just holding him back.

* * *

One Apparition later and they were in the "charming village of Budleigh Babberton", or as Yami Bakura put it "Gobbledygook Town".

Yami Bakura was not listening as Dumbledore and Harry chatted about Harry's blasted scar, the stupid Ministry, dead bodies and other things the former thief did not care about. He was getting slightly impatient, and he really disliked being exposed to Dumbledore for so long.

After a while they reached their destination, which was a house that looked like it already had been attacked by something.

"Wand out and follow me, Harry." Dumbledore muttered. It was clear that he still wanted to go in.

"Gonna check the area." Yami Bakrua muttered. He then began to circle the house without waiting for agreement. /And get away from this wizard for a bit. He makes my head itch./

/You really don't like him, do you?/ Bakura said as Robot left their shoulder to fly cover for them. As extra security, Bakura summoned a Man-Eater Bug and instructed it to scout the house from the other direction.

/No, I don't. He is up to something, and I don't like it. Can't you feel it? He may be on our side now, but he is not as good as he likes to pretend he is./

/Well…I admit I have felt something odd about him, but I don't think he means to betray us./

/No, he intends to use us, and I don't like it. His intentions may be good, but I don't like being manipulated, and the more we associate with him the more manipulated I feel. He is doing a very good job of manipulating Harry, if you notice. And the boy does not suspect a thing./

/First off, you were the one who wanted to associate with him in the first place-/

/A decision I regret, no matter what he promised about the Elder Breed./

/And second…so far Dumbledore really has done nothing to arouse Harry's suspicions."

/I know. You might like the boy, but he is even more naïve as Yugi. To Harry the world is black and white. You are either good or evil, and I don't think he really sees the grey area./

/Like you?/

/What?/

/Well, you did some really bad things, but you did them to avenge your families murders, right?/

/Hump, don't sugar coat me, Light./ the spirit grumbled.

Now they had fully circled the house, meeting the Man Eater Bug at the front. The Bug hissed and drooled in disappointment, for it had found no prey and it did not like that at all. Robot fluttered down and landed on the shoulder he now thought of as his personal perch. He hissed the signal for "all clear". Despite the fact that the little dragon could not talk, he could understand human speech perfectly well and he and Bakura had come up with their own set of personal signals.

Dumbledore and Harry were coming out of the house. Yami Bakura was just about to say something when another person emerged, a short, bald headed man with a moustache…who in Yami Bakura's opinion…

/Just how many people from the Walrusman tribe are we going to meet tonight?/

/Yami…/ Bakura sighed /One of these days…/

"Are we going now?" The irritated yami snarled when the…person was done telling Dumbledore whatever he was telling him. Yami Bakura was pretty sure that this was their new teacher…great.

"Yes." Dumbledore said, but before he could say anything else Yami Bakura interrupted him.

"Fine, we are going back to Japan. Harry, could you tell Azzeraell we will be seeing him later?"

"Huh? He's at the Burrow?"

"Unfortuantly yes."

"Why?"

"He won't stay in Domino or London, because he hates modern human cities. Not enough flora. He won't stay in Hogwarts because…well he just won't." Yami Bakura did not want to say that the elf trusted Dumbledore about as much as the spirit did, perhaps even less. "And the Forbidden Forest has too many centaurs that he would have to mess with. He dislikes centaurs a lot. So he is staying with the only wizard family that both lives near a forest and probably will not treat him like a house elf. The Weasley kinda owe him anyway, after he saved Ron in the Ministry."

Harry nodded. It seemed reasonable enough. He did not know that much about Yami Bakura's old friend, but he was looking forward to learning more…

* * *

He was a bit less then thrilled when he finally got to the Burrow, and figured out that he was expected to room with the elf in Fred and George's old room. As it turned our there was so many people staying in the house that it was completely unavoidable.

"I don't think he'll try…anything though." Mrs. Weasley said. It was unclear what she meant by "anything".

Harry was a bit uncertian about this. After all, this was a guy who lost his entire race to wizards. Harry knew how touchy Yami Bakura was about it, so he imagined that this elf might be even touchier. He was a bit nervous when he went up to bed, and even more nervous when he saw that the elf was still up, apparently reading a book in the dark.

The elf looked at him for a second, the grumbled "So, you must be the Chosen One." Azzeraell rolled his eyes. "Forgive me if I don't start bowing, wizard."

Harry bristled "I don't expect you to, and I would rather you called me Harry."

Azzeraell seemed to study him for a second, and Harry stared right back. Harry could see that the elf's eyes were glowing a bit, almost like a cat's. They were green, and for a moment Harry thought that he had seen eyes like Azzeraell's before, but he could not quite place where.

"You know, if you are going to collapse you should probably do it in that bed. Unless you want a huge lump." The elf went back to reading, and Harry yawned.

As he got into bed, he remember what Yami Bakura has said.

"Azzeraell, Yami Bakura said that he'll be seeing you later."

The elf's mild grumble was the last thing Harry heard before he went to sleep.

Azzeraell stayed up reading for a while longer. He really did not like this place at all, mainly because of the two Weasley parents. The man seemed to think he was more house elf then elf, and it had taken several nasty looks to get across that Azzeraell was NOT going to wash clothes, or do any sort of manual labor. The woman seemed to be uncomfortable with Azzeraell, for reasons that he could not discern. She seemed especially nervous when he got around her male children, and Azzeraell suspected that somehow they knew about his relationship with the Thief King before Akefia, and that the woman did not like this at all. As if he would be interested in a wizard! Or anyone other then his former lover! He would never betray his love like that! Humans were just so…strange.

Finally, he went to sleep himself. He knew that humans were diurnal, not nocturnal like elves. He would have to readjust himself again.

How he hated that…

* * *

A/N: I know, still not much happening...this was probably another boring chapter...


	4. Chapter 4

An Author's note: Sorry this took so long. Last year was...hectic. I've also been working on my own original work...

Keep in mind as you read: Azzeraell is a very paranoid elf. He has to be, or he would not have lived as long as he has. Yami Bakura is also a bit paranoid as well. Mrs. Weasley does not really feel like Azzeraell thinks she does, but he is so paranoid that he reads into things that are not there.

Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 4

Destiny

Azzeraell was woken up by the sounds of chatting human children, a sound he didn't particularly like on a good day. And since he had not had a good day in a few thousand years. He snarled something, though it was to early for him to be coherent in any sense of the word, and got out of there.

Harry watched the grumpy elf go, still not quite sure what his problem was.

"Is he alright?' Harry asked.

Ron snorted "All right? He's almost worst then Snape! Evil, foul-tempered -"

"Give him a break Ron." Hermione interjected. "He lost his entire race to us wizards, after all. He does have the right to be a bit moody about it."

"Well he is not winning himself any fans by acting like a git about it." Ron said with a huff. "Not even Mum likes him!"

"Why not?" Harry asked. As far as he knew Molly Weasley was one of the nicest human beings he had ever meet.

Ron shrugged "I guess it's because he got in a fight with Dad when he first got here. And he keeps giving us nasty looks. Ya know, like he wants to murder us in our sleep or something."

"He's not going to murder you in your sleep, Ron." Hermione rolled her eyes.

Harry snorted.

* * *

That afternoon found Harry in the middle of the forest beyond the Burrow. He had been wanting to try some more Shadow Magic, particularly monster summoning. He wanted to see if he could resummon the Lycanthrope that he had brought forth in the Ministry.

He knew that it was unlikely that he would be able to play the game itself, Ron was the strategic gamer of the group not Harry, but he could learn to summon a single monster and fight like the Death Eaters were fighting now.

Harry stared at the card he was holding. It depicted a large, werewolf like creature with wires and metal. He tried to concentrate on the monster. He felt...something...swelling up inside him...

Then...

"Lycanthrope!" he held the card out in front of him, like he had seen the duelists do. But all that happened was a kind of...fizzle.

"Hehehehehehe." someone chuckled from a branch. Three guesses on who it was.

Harry turned and glared at Azzeraell and grumbled "And I suppose you can do better?" he asked.

The elf grinned and muttered something under his breath. A dark claw lashed from the air behind the elf and reached for Harry. It dissolved before it got to the end of Harry's nose, however.

"Okay, better then mine, but Yugi and others have done better still." Harry said.

"You mean the Pharaoh? He was trained by those damned priests of his. It is in Marik and Kaiba's blood, and Akefia has had centuries to prefect his talent. And...so I have never been one of the most powerful Shadow mages that ever lived." Azzeraell jumped down from his tree "but I still did better then you."

"Hey, like you said, the others have been doing this for years. I just figured it out. Give me a break."

"Oh, of course. Give the precious Chosen One a break before he gets on his white steed and boldly rides off into the sunset." Azzeraell rolled his eyes.

"Stop calling me that!" Harry shouted.

Azzeraell snorted "Why are you out here, anyway?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"I would think getting lessons from the Great Merlin himself would be enough for the almighty Chosen One." Azzeraell grinned.

And Harry had thought SNAPE was sarcastic around him. Azzeraell's comments made Snape seem almost kind.

"Look, if I am going to fulfill the prophecy I need every advantage I-what is so funny!"

As soon as he had mentioned the prophecy Azzeraell had started to laugh cruelly.

"You are pathetic."

Harry's eyes narrowed. "What?"

"Prophecy." the elf sneered "Destiny. It's all utter nonsense. Only weak minded fools believe in destiny."

"How could you say that! You saw the Pharaoh-"

"What the royal fool did was his choice, no matter what he says. He may go on and on about destiny, but in the end it was his choice to do...whatever in Ra's name he did. Heck if I can remember..." the elf shrugged as if this was of no consequence.

"But, I heard one myself! In my third year!" Harry said. "Our Divination professor when into a trance during my exam and said that the Dark Lord's servant would return to him, and she was right!"

"Was she?" the elf snorted. "Tell me boy, have you ever heard of Oedipus?"

"No."

"My my, what do they teach you at that school? Oh, of course, magic and nothing else." the elf scoffed. "Let me educate you, boy. Oedipus is a Greek myth. Horrible people, the Greeks. Especially the Spartans, the nasty imbeciles. At least the Athenians produced some decent philosophers, but other then that...oh right I was talking about Oedipus. Well it goes like this: the king of Thebes...I think it was Thebes had a son, Oedipus, but an Oracle proclamation that the son would grow up to kill his father and marry his mother. This upset the king, as you might expect, so he had...someone take the kid out to the woods to kill him. The boy lived, however and was adopted by another king. Well the kid grew up and learned about the prophecy. Not wanting to kill his own papa, who was not really his father if you are following. You are following right? Good. Well the boy leaves his home to keep the prophecy from happening. Along the way he meets his real father, but not knowing that this is his real father Oedipus kills the king."

"Why?" Harry asked.

"Can't remember. Besides, this is Greek mythology. Logic does not apply, you uneducated drip. Anyway, Oedipus goes on to Thebes, which is under siege by a sphinx and a her riddle. Oldest one in the book, come to think of it...well anyway Oedipus solves the riddle and the sphinx hurls herself into the sea...for some reason that frankly was never properly explained to me. Anyway, in gratitude the people make Oedipus their new king and he marries the queen, who is of course his real mother."

"And the point of this is?" Harry asked.

"By listening to stupid prophecies you end up getting into more trouble then if you had ignored them." the elf said smugly.

"Really?" Harry said "I see it another way. No matter what the people in your little story did they still fulfilled their prophecy. Doesn't that mean that prophecy is inescapable?"

The elf gave him another disgusted look "Are you so willing to give up your freedom, boy?"

"What?"

"Think about it. If you are set in this one path, this one destiny, no matter what you do you could never do anything else. You are not free, boy. You are a slave. If you by into this destiny crap then you are giving up your freedom."

"But..."

Azzeraell rolled his eyes. "Look, boy, I have never taken stock in destiny. I always liked having my freedom. Even if it is not true I prefer to tell myself that I can do things on my own."

"But...Voldemort..."

"Kid, there is a difference between fighting because you have to and fighting because you want to." the elf said. "In my opinion, if you do go after this human you should do it because you feel it is right, not because you feel that it is something you must."

Harry nodded. "I think...I think I get what you are saying. I want to fight Voldemort. He killed my parents. He hurts people. I want to stop him. That's why I am trying to learn how to summon these monsters..."

Azzeraell laughed. "And you are going about it the wrong way." the elf scoffed.

"Oh, and I suppose you could tell me how?"

"Maybe."

"I bet you can't." Harry grinned evilly.

Azzeraell stared at him. "Hehehehe, maybe you are not as stupid as I thought..."

* * *

Meanwhile, back in Japan an owl had arrived at the breakfast table of a certain Bakura household. Professor Bakura, archaeologist and up until now one of the most forgetful fathers in history, stared at the thing that was offering him a piece of paper on it's leg.

"Ummm, son. There is a bird here for you." He shouted down the hall to where his son was.

A grumbling, and then a very irritated Yami Bakura came stalking down the hall. Bad enough he had to keep jumping to England (his internal clock was pretty much shot), but he also had to deal with his light's idiot of a father.

Yami Bakura truly hated this man. Which was strange. Before this he had never paid any attention to the man. But his new connection to his light had summoned up some odd protective and parental feelings inside him. The end result was disgust at the man who had abandoned his "boy", as well as a bit of almost fatherly possessiveness.

To Yami Bakura this man was not necessary. Bakura had him, Yami Bakura. Surly that was enough.

Yami Bakura swept past the invader and removed his O.W.L results, for that is what they were, and took a look at them.

Ryou Bakura has achieved:

Astronomy A

Care of Magical Creatures E

Charms A

Defense Against the Dark Arts O

Divination O

Herbology E

History of Magic P

Potions O

Transfiguration O

/Oh maaaan.../ Bakura moaned /That History of Magic fail is your fault!/

/My fault!/ his yami said.

/If you had not moaned so much during that class.../ Bakura said /Oh well.../

"Are those grades? How did you do?"

Yami Bakura resumed a death grip over their body and snarled "What the hell is it is you?!"

"Don't-"

But Yami Bakura had already stormed out. They had to go talk to the Pharoah, anyway.

/Must you be so rude to him?/ Bakura asked /He is trying to reconnect to me!/

/To little to late!/ Yami Bakura said /He abandoned you!/

/And you used me as a puppet! But I gave you another chance!/

/Grrrr..../

/He's my father, Yami, I have the right to get to know him better! You don't like him, I get that. But please let me have this chance!/

No response.

By the time they had reached their destination, the Muto game shop, Yami Bakura had cooled down just a little bit. He was not ready to give up his light to this...ignorant mortal...but...

Unfortunately when they got there they got a very nasty surprise.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE IS GONE!"


	5. Chapter 5

An Author's Note: By the time I update this thing I will have moved the fic to the Yugioh/HP crossover section.

Just thought ya'll might like to know.

And yes, the chapter name is a reference to something I don't own, along with Yugioh and HP. And another allusion to something else I do not own.

I hate to keep repeating this, but take a look at what has happened to Youtube lately and you will see why I am paranoid.

Oh, and there is a quote I found on a bumper sticker down there some were, I don't know who said it but I don't own it.

* * *

Chapter 5

Where have all the Yugis gone?

"So, where did they go, again?" Marik was cleaning out his ear, just to make sure he had heard his friend right.

"America." Bakura rolled his eyes. "Something about a Leviathan and three dragons and some green glowing circle or other."

The two of them were sitting at a burger place, even though Bakura had told Marik many times how much he hated American food the Egyptian still dragged him there...

Maybe he should not have told Marik how much he hated American food. There were two things Bakura really hated about the country, their food and their attitude. He was used to homemade Japanese food.

No non-American he knew liked the American attitude.

Other then that...well Bakura did like American entertainment.

But we are getting away from the subject.

"Ya know, I am starting to see a pattern here, Bakura." Marik groaned "He's almost as bad as Harry. Evey time there is some evil giant toothy thing comes about guess who goes to slay them?"

Bakura grunted "And of course everyone else has followed him like little ducklings. Even Kaiba."

Marik grinned "Do mention that to him when he comes back."

"Hmp, stupid Tomb Keeper."

"Idiot Tomb Robber," Marik whacked Bakura on the back. "Wait...that is you, right?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean...it is getting harder and harder to tell the two of you apart."

Bakura's eyes got soft and teary "You can't tell who I am...Marik I am so hurt!" he moaned.

Marik looked concerned for a moment, then looked at his friend really hard, "Those are crocodile tears."

Bakura grinned "Yep."

"...see what I mean! Your yami is rubbing off on you! He's like...he's like...athletes foot!"

Yami Bakura interjected "Athletes foot?" he picked up a fork "Ya want to get this up the nose, Ishtar?"

"No thanks, trust me there is nothing interesting up there."

"...oh Ra I don't want to know..."

Marik smirked, he then picked up some fries and started to munch "So, I guess that means the little GPS Death Eater locater thing is on hold?"

Yami Bakura shrugged "I guess not. We should keep writing down their descriptions though, ya know, make up a pile of papers and just flood his inbox with them..."

The thing they were talking about was yet another of Seto Kaiba's patented Brilliant Ideas. This Brilliant Idea was to make a very large database and get the descriptions, habits and ect of all known Death Eaters. Bakura was not quite sure what Kaiba was going to do with the information once he had it, but he had the felling that it somehow involved satellite air to ground missiles.

"So, what are we going to do now?" Marik asked. "Sit around and play tiddlywinks?"

"I hate tiddlywinks." Bakura said.

Marik rolled his eyes "You know what I mean."

A bit of a comfortable silence, then "so what did you get on those Owl things, Bakura?"

Bakura showed him his grades "You?" he asked.

Marik rolled his eyes "O in the Magical Creature's class, E in Muggle Studies and straight Ps everywhere else...."

Bakura shook his head "Sorry to hear that."

Marik grinned "Really, I don't mind that much. Ya know what I really want to do? Publish that newsletter of ours. Go wizardly international with it. I don't need N.E. for that, look at Luna's family!"

Bakura frowned "So you are not going back?"

"Heck yeah I am going back! Hogwarts was the most fun I had in my life! And there is old Tommy-boy to take care of!"

"...Tommy-boy...you know who you sound like?"

Marik grinned "I know! Hehehehehe!"

More pause, then "Bakura, do you have any plans?"

"I have a plan for our little buddy Harry Potter." Bakura grinned " But we need to start with that Elder Breed recruitment first...tell me Marik, do you like dragons?"

Marik's food dropped out of his mouth "...what?"

Marik could not tell who was evilly smirking, but there was evilly smirking occurring across the table.

* * *

One Shadowwalk later the two of them were in the middle of a cave that smelled of rotten meat.

Really, there is no way that any other odor could have gotten through that. Rotten meat is like the bodybuilder of odors.

"Have I mentioned I hate dark caves?" Marik said.

"You grew up in a cave."

"I repeat 'I hate caves.'"

"Thief King Bakura..." A rather large, rumbling voice...well rumbled from deeper within the cave.

Marik ducked behind Bakura.

"Coward." Bakura accused.

"Damn straight. I remember last time."

"Come forward, so that we might meet with the pair of you."

"If I get eaten..."

"Just say nothing."

"What?"

"Not a word, Marik." Bakura started walking.

"Great, order of thief, side of incredible handsome Egyptian..." Marik grumbled.

However, despite his rather understandable fear, Marik followed his friend. He wondered if the fact that Bakura was taking care of a little dragon would help or hinder them.

Marik really did not want to meet a dragon. He was fully aware that he was crunchy and tasted well with ketchup.

For what seemed like an eternity they trudged downward, and just when Marik felt like he was going to scream they finally saw a light ahead. A few minutes later and they were in a large cavern full of gold and jewels.

"Daaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnnnggggggggggggg." Marik said "You ever rob this place?"

Yami Bakura snorted "Hell no, the last moron that did that got his entire country fried. Some Norse idiot."

The large piles of coins moved and a large reptilian head shot out at them. Marik nearly died of fright. Robot did not prepare him for this huge, magnificent golden beast. From its long, beaked snout to it's finned jaws to its long, brilliant neck the dragon was sight to behold. Perhaps is was an aura, or maybe just the fact that he could see the creature's blood pulsing in its veins, could see it's giant chest heaving, and could smell it; but the dragon seemed more real and more impressive then any Duel Monster. This was no thing made of either Shadows or holograms, this was the real deal.

The dragon lowered its head and took a good, long whiff of Bakura, who tired to look unafraid. Marik was not fooled, he could see those knees trembling....or maybe that was just Marik's own entire body.

The dragon stared at Bakura, Bakura stared at the dragon. Neither of them broke eye contact. Finally the dragon spoke.

"I see. I understand. We will come to this Gathering and listen to your words. Go in peace, thief." the dragon then pulled its head back into the treasure.

"We have to go." Bakura said.

"But-"

"Now, Ishtar." Marik felt Bakura grab his arm and the two of them got out of there as fast as they could.

"Okay, what the hell was all that?" Marik asked.

"They say that dragons, really old dragons like the one in there, can see into your soul. Whenever you want something of them all you must do is look into there eyes and they will make a decision."

"Is it true?" Marik asked.

"Maybe...or maybe he just heard about us from somewhere. Does it really matter? We have gotten the dragons to agree."

"Geeeerrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaatttttttttttttttttttt." Marik muttered.

"Oh, but that is not the end, my friend. " Yami Bakura slung his arm around Marik. "Now we got to talk to a moody elf!"

"How...wonderful...."

* * *

One more Shadowwalk later, Bakura was back at the Burrow. He did not really knock, but indstead started bellowing for a certain elf.

Azzeraell appeared a few minutes later. Not walked, just appeared. He was giving his old friend a rare grin.

"Hello, my king I was just...talking with that boy."

"Which one?"

"Potter." Azzeraell said.

"Oh great, glad you are getting acquainted with him."

"...oh I don't like the sound of this already..." Azzeraell moaned.

"Nope, you won't.' Yami Bakura said "Azzeraell, you still call me king, and you act as if you still believe it."

Azzeraell scowled. He had a feeling he knew where this was going.

"Azzeraell, I need you to train Harry. Shadow magic, mainly, but some actual hand-to-hand fighting as well."

Azzeraell scowled "I don't like it...but I will do it. You are my king, and I will obey. But why in the world do you want me to train that....child."

"We need him, Azzeraell."

"...I do not agree, my king....but since it is you that is asking I shall do it..." then he muttered "If I am lucky I will get a heart attack..."

It was at that moment that Harry managed to wander his way back. "Oh, hi Bakura...what is going on?"

Yami Bakura smirked "Guess what, Azzeraell here is going to teach you Shadow Magic."

"...why?"

Yami Bakura loomed over Harry. "First of all, he taught me, so if he can do that you should be no issue. You have an Item, so you need to learn from somewhere, and I cannot be here as often as I want to. And it shall not be just Shadow Magic."

"But-"

"Look." Yami Bakura growled "Remember what happened the last time you did not listen to others? You ended up godfatherless."

Harry bristled "That was not my fault, Snape-"

"If you had listened to him, and to me you would never had that dream in the first place!" the yami hissed "If you had listened then he would still be alive!"

Harry screamed in anger and lunged for the yami, who proptly flipped him over on his back.

"And that is why you need to learn real fighting!" Yami Bakura said "I could kill you with barely a thought! You are weak, wizard! Just because you can use magic does not mean you should not learn how to defend yourself!" Yami Bakura leaned over and snarled "You will get yourself killed, and unfortunately because of the Items we need you, and I am NOT going to spend another FIVE THOUSAND YEARS in that blasted ring because you REFUSE TO LISTEN! Do you hear me!"

Harry felt like he had swallowed a fireball, but he knew that the yami would not let him worm his way out of this. "Fine." he grumbled.

Yami Bakura let him up "Got to go now, have fun." an evil smirk, and he and Marik were gone.

Azzeraell muttered for a second then the looked down at his new "student". He pointed at the young wizard and said "You. In the forest. Tomorrow morning."

"But-" Harry started.

Azzeraell cut him off. "Not. Today." he started to walk away "Just...not...today..."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Training

Harry was not looking forward to the next day. Hadn't he had enough of being taught by people who hated him? But then again, Azzeraell hated just about everyone.

Still, Harry felt some trepidation as he stood in the woods in the general area of where he had encountered the elf beforehand. He had come just after breakfast, as he had noted the elf slinking away that morning. He had never set a time for them, but Harry figured after breakfast was a good time.

After thirty minutes or so Harry was getting bored and irritated. He was so busy grumbling and muttering and ready to leave. He was totally unprepared when something dropped at him from the trees, grabbed him by the shoulders and flung him into a nearby pool.

He surfaced sputtering. Of course it was Azzeraell, who was at the bank of the pool shaking his head.

"You are about as aware as a deaf kitten." the elf stated.

"What the hell is your problem!?" Harry bellowed.

The elf stared at Harry. It was then that Harry noticed that the usual contempt and mockery was gone from the elf's eyes and tone. Instead he seemed neutral. He was not saying this to be his usual rude self, he was merely stating a fact.

"The Thief King," Azzeraell stated, "was almost impossible to train. His background made him so angry, so unpredictable that training him was a constant trial. You are almost as angry, but you are far older then he was when I trained him." the elf's eyes narrowed again. "I am going to try my best to train you, and no one ever called me a bad teacher. But this cannot work unless you are willing to listen to me."

"But you hate me." Harry growled.

Azzeraell shook his head "That means nothing. I can put that aside for a few hours. I have done it before. Are you willing to do the same?"

Harry thought. He thought of Sirius, and how his own foolishness had gotten his godfather killed. He thought of the power of the Items, and how he knew almost nothing about Shadow Magic. He thought of all the people who had been killed by Voldemort. He also realized that Bakura had had a point when he said that wizard's were weak physically.

Surly, if Azzeraell, who had more then enough reasons for hating wizards, could put aside his own aggression for a few hours then Harry could do the same...

For the next few hours Harry was subjected to learning the fine art of being flung around. By that I mean that for a while Azzeraell basically threw him around in different ways in an effort to teach him how to roll away or fall with an attack. Harry had no idea how this would help him with Voldemort, or any other wizard for that matter. However, he was not going to argue with the elf. He had agreed to this after all.

Eventually, after an hour or so, Azzeraell stopped with the throwing thing. Harry was bruised and highly irritated, but grateful that the throwing seemed to be over for the moment.

"Follow me." Azzeraell said, and he turned and started walking deeper into the forest.

Harry groaned. Who knew what this nutball elf had up his sleeve now?

A few moments later they were standing in front of what only could be described as a hole in the ground. It was situated on a hillside, and was covered with unknown vegetation.

Surely Azzeraell did not think he was going to...

The elf pointed to the hole "In." He pushed the vegetation out of the way.

Harry was just about ready to get out of there. Seeing his hesitation Azzeraell sighed and lightly shoved Harry into the cave.

Thankfully it was not a straight down hole, even though it was dark. Harry stumbled into the entrance and found that he was in an actual cave. He froze, not willing to go any further.

Azzeraell slipped into the cave with him and kinda waved his hand over the vegetation, which seemed to grow and cover the entrance of the cave. It was now almost completely dark.

This was getting kinda scary.

"What is going on here?" Harry asked, a little scared.

"Tell me, can you see yourself as...shall we say...a sword wielding warrior type?"

"Well...no..." The bizarre image of himself as a knight popped into Harry's head for a brief moment and he nearly laughed.

"Good, at least you are realistic." Azzeraell sat down on a nearby rock. "I really doubt you could hold a claymore anyway, much less full blown armor. Besides that, I doubt I could teach you such skills. Therefore, the best idea would be to teach you more...subtle skills."

Harry had a feeling he knew were the elf was driving this conversation. "You mean, since you and Yami Bakura are thieves you are going to teach me to be one."

"Yes and no." the elf replied "Technically being a thief requires actually stealing things. However, the skills that a thief of my kind needs, such as sneaking around in the dark for example, can be applied to other uses. Plus, the type of combat I am used to particularly suited for people who don't carry heavy weapons or armor." the elf paused "Most of what I know is archaic, and is not useful in the modern world. In a perfect world you would be learning modern techniques, and if I can figure out how do so that will be the next thing you learn..."

Harry groaned in his head. Was this elf thinking of sending him to boot camp or something?

Azzeraell seemed to read his mind "Boy, don't tell me you have the same ridiculous notion that because you are wizard that means you should know nothing of the rest of the world?"

"Well..."

"Wipe that idea from your mind this instant!" all at once the elf's voice had a hint of contempt laced through it "That path will lead to your ruin! You must NEVER turn down any type of knowledge, no matter where it comes from! Even if you do not agree with it you should know of it. To do any less is to cripple yourself." the elf leaned forward "That is the greatest crime that your ministry had committed. They arrogantly proclaim that they are better then everyone else, so they close their minds and hearts to anything else. Separation has not made them strong, it has made them weak!"

"But, what about things like the Dark Arts-"

"There IS no such thing as 'Dark Arts'." Azzeraell growled "Power is power. A bow can be used to shoot a deer and feed a family, but it can also be used to take the life of an innocent. Is it then the bow's fault? No, it is the hand that shot the bow that decides. If you do not believe me then tell me this. Yugi uses the power of the Shadows. Is Yugi evil?"

"...no."

"Correct. Power does not determine if you are good or evil. Only you can make that decision. It is the same with the skills I shall teach you. I have used them to steal. You, on the other hand, can do with them as you wish."

Harry shrugged "Okay, fair enough. But what does all of that have to do with the fact that we are in a cave?"

"Once again we go back to the subject of the skills you are to learn." Azzeraell stated. "Now, since I am basically teaching you the skills of a thief, what do you think is one of the most important skills?"

Harry thought for a moment "Sneaking?"

"Indeed, but that is only part of it. We are here so that you can learn how to see in darkness."

"But I'm not an elf! And it's pitch black in here!"

"No, it is not."

"But-"

"Perhaps I phrased it the wrong way." Azzeraell said "If you are expecting to suddenly see perfectly in the darkness you are wrong. A human has limited night vision. Rather, what you are going to be learning is how to use your sense in the correct way."

"...huh?'

A deep sigh, then "You do not listen, boy. You do no pay attention to the world around you. You only use your ears for when someone is yarking at you. You use your eyes, but you do not notice what is going on around you. You never use your nose at all. What I am going to teach you is HOW to use what nature has given you."

"I...still don't understand."

"Then we are going to be here a long time."

A long pause, then "When are you going to teach me Shadow magic?"

"Let's take it one step at a time, child."

* * *

After a few minutes Harry's eyes kinda adjusted to the dim light. He had no clue how anyone could do anything which so little light, much less fight or rob people. On the other hand, he did not want to hear any more of Azzeraell's odd lectures, so he kept his mouth shut.

It was almost noon, so Azzeraell decided that they should quit for the day. Harry headed back to the Burrow and Azzeraell went...back to doing whatever it was that he did all day.

Harry didn't tell anyone what he was doing all morning. For some reason he wanted to keep this information to himself.


	7. Chapter 7

An Author's Note: Okay, okay. I know I have majority slowed down on the whole updating thing. Well, there are a couple of reason for that. Yeah, you have heard em all before. Feel free to skip my whining if you wish.

First off, I kinda suffered what can only be called a crisis of writer's faith, which is like a normal crisis of faith only instead of losing your faith in humanity or religion you lose your faith in either the process of writing or the readers. This crisis has one, horrible root: Twilight (or as I call it, Twiblight). I was aware of it before the crisis, but it was not until I actually read the thing that I started to lose faith in humanity. How, in the blue blazes, could anyone find anything about a whiny bitch who cries and moans about horrible her average life is, and then falls in love with the most witless, weakest, lamest and least manly "vampire" in any way interesting at all! How is this thing so popular! Did the author make a deal with the freaking devil! I thought "F---k it, if the readers don't care about writing why should I!? I'm going to go play some Halo." And I did. A lot of Halo. After beating the Covenant over their heads with my plasma sword for the third time I realized that, even though I had lost faith in the tweens of the world that did not mean I should stop trying. Hell, even if no one gives a crap I shouldn't let myself be beaten by a hack housewife with a glitter fetish.

This actually led to reason #2 for not updating. I am doing what every fanfic reader out there hates to hear (and I know you hate to hear it, but I hate to myself) I am trying to write my own book. So, that is kinda taking the front seat. Good news though: Azzeraell is going to be in it in all his snarky elvish glory. So, those of you who like him will have something to look forward too...in a few years...as soon as I get this thing written...and published...

Also, I have had several family issues. Such as the fact that I have a job (I am not going to be a starving writer no matter what. I like food to much), and the fact that a few of my family members are having issues. And no, I am not going to elaborate.

Last, and probably most annoying for people who have read my stuff, my treacherous muse has decided to pack up the plot bunnies and move from the Yugioh field to another fandom. This is an odd fandom for me, because when it first came out in America I bloody despised it. It's Naruto, of all things. This has happened to me before, I start out hating the series and then, after the hype is died down I expose myself to it and I find that, hey, the water is not that deep nor that cold (I don't expect this to happen with Twiblight, but you never know...). Now, I still do have few problems with it. Like the filler...and the constant flashbacks...and I really really really want to jump in there and strangle Saskue with his own entrails to get him to shut up about his brother because I really don't care. Other then that, the main character has grown on me a little (it helps that the library I work for has manga, so I can read the blasted series without having to pay and I didn't have to expose my ears to the annoying person in the English dub. You know who I am talking about.) I mean, yeah he is farthest thing from a ninja you can actually be whilst doing ninjutsu, but I do admire his bone crushingly stupid determination. Also, I like the Sand ninjas. I don't know why. Maybe it is because they get less flashback. And, the fact that, of the three of them, the only one we really know the backstory of is Gaara (of the Funk), meaning I can make a bunch of stuff up about the other two to my heart's content (I think that is what also drew me to develop Ryou Bakura's character as well. We really don't know much about the guy, so I can make stuff up as I go along.) And, because I watched the abridged series while reading the manga, every time I see Gaara's name written down I unconscious add "of the Funk" to it...(as seen above) well for some reason that makes reading the manga a lot more enjoyable. And I'll say this: it is very hard to keep a straight face during the battle between the old Hokage and the snake/Frank N. Ferterish/Lord Voldemort guy while you keep thinking of the line "Simon says 'Gimme your soul'", even if the manga is trying to convince you that this is a gut wrenching scene. Anyway, my point is, my muse has started to generate Naruto fics in my head, one of which is being written (incedentally, seven day long cruises are great for writing new fics. I am going to upload the new story soon as I am done updating this'en). I know you are probably irritated at this, but rest assured that I will not completely abandon Yugioh. I know I said the same thing about the Teen Titans fic (incidentally there is new chapter for that coming up...eventually). I am sorry about this. I think my muse might have ADD.

Anyway, before I start writing about ninjas who don't really act like ninjas, here is a another Serpent's Blood chapter for you to enjoy. See, I am not all annoying. I at least do give you a chapter along with my meaningless ramblings.

I have to confess, I really did not get the opportunity to watch all of the season of Yugioh that had the Oriwhateveritscalled and the dragons and such. I know that at some point Yami went nuts and Yugi got his soul caught. So, this might be a little...odd sounding. I am sorry for any literary awkwardness this will cause.

Chapter 7

The Return

Yugi sighed as walked into his home, finally back after the battle with the Leviathan. It had been a long hard fight...not to mention the fact that he and his yami had almost lost each other forever. However, they had won and everything was going to be alright.

Yugi slowly walked up the stairs to his room. He wondered idly what Marik and Bakura had been doing while Yugi and his friends had been fighting Dartz. He knew he probably should have sent them a message of some sort during the fight...but...

For a while there it had actually been fun. He and the others, battling and dueling together. Like old times. For some reason in Hogwarts Yugi had felt strangely overshadowed. Perhaps it was Harry's presence. After all, Harry was the wizarding world what Yugi was to the gaming one.

Yugi sighed and opened the door to his room.

There was someone standing right there in the middle of the room.

Yugi blinked, then he recognized the wild white hair and glaring narrowed eyes. "Tomb Robber?" he asked sleepily. Instantly the Pharaoh took over and snarled at the other spirit "What are you doing here!?"

"So," Yami Bakura growled "you and the rest of your cheerleader squad have been...where exactly?"

The Pharaoh bristled "WE were out saving the world. And what where you doing?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe FIGHTING A DAMN WAR!"

At this point Bakura must have decided that he didn't want to get in the middle of a fight between two Yamis, because all of a sudden the tomb robber's spirit was standing there in the middle of the room. He did not seem to notice this, but kept right on screaming at the Pharaoh.

Yugi was surprised that Bakura and his Yami had figured out how to do that. Of course Yugi and Pharaoh had preformed this particular trick before, but he had not thought that Bakura and the Tomb Robber could do it. Perhaps they simply hadn't before because of the way that the once evil spirit had treated his host. Now that they were more like partners, though...

Yugi had enough experience with these weird shadow forms that the Yamis could make to know that they would last for a bit. So, he also separated from Yami, who, after a brief pause to make sure that Yugi was not mad at him, returned to shouting at the Tomb Robber.

Yugi grinned and looked at Bakura "Sorry."

Bakura shrugged "At the risk of sounding like him." he jerked a thumb at where the Tomb Robber was "What exactly happened to you?"

Yugi glanced at the arguing pair of yamis and said "Let's leave them alone to fight it, okay? I'll give you the summery."

Yugi had no intention of telling Bakura everything that happened. He was still not quite sure how he felt about having his own Yami betray him. Though technically Yugi had forgiven the Pharaoh he still felt slightly awkward about the entire deal. He was not quite willing to share what had happened with anyone else, even though to be honest Bakura was probably the first person to ask about these kind of things.

Meanwhile, up in Kaiba tower, a certain CEO was growling at an inbox literally stuffed with papers, all of which had to do with the names, identities, assorted habits, and whatever else Bakura and Marik had managed to find out about the various Death Eaters running around doing Death Eater things.

Now, this inbox was not his computer e-mail inbox. That would have been troublesome, but not as annoying as what Bakura and Marik had actually done. The inbox in question was Kaiba's actual, physical inbox, and though it was made of a rather robust metal the sheer amount of papers that the two madmen had sent Kaiba had the thing straining and groaning in protest as it bent outwards.

"Idiots, you'd think they've totally bought into the whole wizard thing." Kaiba muttered as he attempted to save his poor box from exploding under the sheer weight of paper. "And I know they know how to use a computer, they did it all the time back at that school..."

The most annoying part of this was that he would have to do the entire database by hand now. He was not going to give a job this important to an underling who would, without fail, completely screw the entire thing up. Kaiba knew most of the people that worked for him were either idiots or not trustworthy.

Kaiba felt a by now familiar tingle in the back of his neck. "Hello Kisaria." he addressed the dragon.

The Blue-eye's transparent form was coiled up behind Kaiba, peering over his shoulder at the mess that was Kaiba's desk. "It looks like the Tomb Robber still hates you." she said mildly.

"Still?" Kaiba asked.

"He hated you in the past as well, remember?"

"No." Kaiba said flatly "and I am not going to remember. I have no particular argument with Bakura's internal parasite."

By now Kaiba had been exposed to enough magic to admit that the stuff actually existed. He also could admit that maybe the two Yami's were in fact real. However, he still firmly denied that his own ancient past had anything to do with who he was now.

"I still do not understand why you keep denying your past." the dragon said. "Doesn't your destiny mean anything to you?"

Kaiba sighed "I NOT believe in destiny. Even if I was some sort of priest back then, and even if I did help the Pharaoh, that has no bearing on today. That was a long time ago."

"What about Zork?"

"Zork is just more proof that we should be focusing on the future, not the past. It is obvious to me that the Pharaoh failed the world. Look at what has happened! He only delayed Zork's return! He didn't' destroy it. Obviously whatever the Pharaoh did was not enough, therefore we should not search for answers in the past. Even if we were to get rid of the beast in the exact same way then what happens another thousand or so years form now? Zork will just come back again, and guess who will probably have to face it again? Us. I don't like being controlled by anything or anybody. Destiny is no different. I am going to defeat Zork, and this time it will be permanent."

The dragon did not know what to say. On the one hand she could not help but admire Kaiba's firm convections and beliefs. However, she hated to hear his stubborn dismissal of destiny. If he really thought that the past had no effect on who he was today did that mean that he was not the same person she had...cared for all those years ago? Was he the same Seto that she had meet in Ancient Egypt? She was just no sure anymore. Nevertheless, she was determined to help Kaiba no matter what, even though she was not sure how she felt about him anymore.

A few weeks later it was finally time to head back to England. Once again Marik, Bakura and Yugi were taking the plane, mainly because it would raise to many bizarre and awkward questions if the King of Games suddenly just appeared in the middle of London without anyone seeing him leaving Japan. Kaiba could do it because he was Kaiba, but Yugi did not want to draw too much attention to himself.

This time, however, the three of them were not going to England with an escort. None of them really wanted to put their families smack dab in the middle of a wizard war, and everyone was fairly certain that is what would have happened. So, Yugi's rather large group of friends and Marik's siblings said farewell at the plane. Bakura's father was nowhere in sight, mainly due to the fact that Yami Bakura had been especially rude to him that morning, and so the man spent the entire day wondering where, precisely, he had gone wrong in raising his son.

When they arrived in England the group heading straight for the Leaky Cauldron, instead of the hotel they had the last time they were here. They did this due to the easyish access the inn provided to Diagon Alley, and since Marik and Bakura were determined to check out the Weasley twin's new joke shop (and the fact that they would eventually need some school supplies), it made sense to use the place.

Kaiba, it can only be assumed, had found his own lodgings and probably would not want to be caught dead in a place like the Leaky Cauldron anyway.

Of course, as soon as they had gotten their rooms and shoved their bags in their respective closets (and after being bellowed at by irate mirrors about their hair styles, and in Marik's case, ornamentation), the three of them spent several hours trying to get their internal clocks to get off of Japan time and back on to England time.

The next morning, okay it was more like afternoon, Marik and Bakura were ready to go see what mayhem the twins of Hogwarts had come up with. So, after collecting a still groggy and irritated Yugi, who by this time was pretty sick of planes and traveling in general, they went to the brick wall that served to hid the alley from non magical people and tapped with a wand.

What they found was pretty shocking. When they had first seen the place Diagon Alley had been an active, bright and cheery place. Now...well let us just say that if tumbleweeds had been in England this place would have been infested with tumbleweeds.

"Wow...we leave for a couple of months and the place is already a ghost town." Marik said.

"No, it is not that we left. Fred and George just moved in." Bakura said with a kind of sour grin.

"It...it's really gotten bad hasn't it?" Yugi said in awe. He had been so...distracted this summer. He had not really thought about what was going on here, even though intellectually he knew that the war was going on he had not really thought of the consequences of what that entailed. Even though he had only been to this place once he felt terrible and a bit overwhelmed at how different it was now.

"Come on guys, let's go." Bakura said.

And so they went in, feeling like a group of a strangers entering an old west ghost town.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Back in the Wizarding World

Shopping was a hurried, subdued affair. The duelists went from store to store as quickly at they could. Part of it was the fact that they wanted to go and see the twins new store, but they wanted to get the other shopping out of the way. Plus, Diagon alley had become a place where you did not want to linger. The way people looked around, as if waiting for an attack, and their furtive glances, made the duelist's feel highly uncomfortable.

Out of all of them, only Bakura felt any semblance of normality. He had been dropping in and out of England for the past few months, and had kinda expected this. But to Yugi this entire thing was like a splash of cold water to the face.

In fact, he was so busy looking around that he did not notice the woman until he nearly smacked into her.

The woman, who looked suspiciously familiar, sniffed at Yugi with an arrogance that put even Kaiba to shame "Watch where you are going, you little runt."

Marik's eyes snapped to the woman's face, and then to the boy who was behind her, and a big grin appeared on his features "Oh! A Malfoy!"

The woman preened for a second, certain that this strange boy...or was it a girl, had just paid her a complement.

"Well, it is a good thing some people can spot a true blooded wizard when they see them."

Bakura grinned "Don't flatter yourself, woman. He just means that you look like you just came off the assembly line. I mean Ra damn it Malfoy, don't you people have any variations in your family at all?"

Malfoy glared at Bakura and Marik, mostly at Marik. Of all the people to meet! Wasn't Potter and the Mudblood Pack enough for one day?

"What are you doing here, Ishtar?" Malfoy stepped in front of his mother, as if trying to defend her.

"The same thing we do every day, Pinky. Try to take over the world!" Marik bellowed. People stared to give him odd looks.

Bakura poked him in the back "No, no, that is them. And, by the way, if you keep doing that I am going to limit your cartoon intake."

Marik laughed like a maniac, and Malfoy quickly herded his precious mother away from the psychopaths. Who knew what they would do?

"And no more syrup on you pancakes, either." Bakura muttered "Obviously the sugar does something to you."

Marik gave Bakura his most manic grin yet.

/Do you think he might practice that?/ Bakura asked his darker side.

/Oh most certainly./

Ignoring the odd looks they were getting from the populace (who had no clue what an Animanic was), the duelists walked on.

* * *

The first thing they saw was the poster, declaring that one should not be worrying about You-Know-Who, but should instead be worrying about U-No-Poo (the constipation sensation that apparently was gripping the nation).

This drove Marik into another fit of laughter.

"You know, maybe it wasn't just the syrup, maybe the blueberries had something to do with it?" Yugi said thoughtfully.

"Yugi! Marik! Bakura!" a familiar head of bushy brown hair lunged at them as if from nowhere. "You're all here!"

"Hermione! Hi!" Yugi said with a grin.

"Hey, guys." Harry walked up with a sullen looking Ron folling "So you guys made it back."

"What's up with you, you swallow a bad lemon?" Bakura asked Ron, who still looked peeved.

"Malfoy." he said.

"Oh, you guys meet up with him too?' Marik asked.

"Well, it's like this..." the three wizards told them about seeing Malfoy at Knockturn alley.

"Hmmm, so he is either buying a necklace or an skull...." Yugi said thoughtfully.

"I would put my money on the necklace." Bakura said. "An evil skull? To obvious..."

Harry nodded. "We are going to have to keep an eye on him..."

"Harry, Ron, Hermione! Where have you been?" a frantic looking Mrs. Weasely emerged from the store like an avenging angel.

Hermione turned and said "We just bumped into some friends. You remember Yugi, Marik and Bakura, right?"

Mrs. Weasely gave the group a strange smile. On the one hand she knew that these three had been with Harry last year and had helped him. On the other hand she knew that Bakura was in league with that elf. The one that kept giving her children nasty looks. It was not the fact that the elf had gay tendencies that had raised the motherly woman's ire, but the way he looked at her family like he wanted to kill them...that is why she disliked Azzeraell.

"Come in, everyone else is here!" Hermione said, even though he stomach sank a little bit when she saw the maniac grins on Marik and Bakura's faces. She had forgotten how bizarre the two of them could act.

"Let's go." Marik said "I defiantly think I want to get some of that U-No-Poo stuff."

Hermione sighed. It was going to be an interesting year.

* * *

After going literally hog wild throughout the store, Marik and Bakura had manged to not only lay claim on the aforementioned "sensation" that was "gripping the nation", but also on some Spell Checking Quills (because it was always nice to have a quill that will do the exact some thing a word processor could do), some Decoy Detonators, Instant Darkness Powder and other such items.

Yugi just kinda looked around, he had no desire to cause chaos and mayhem like the other two did. However, he did enjoy looking at all of the strange wizard things and seeing what they might do. It was fascinating to him.

As he wandered he caught up a bit with Harry.

"From what I hear from Bakura, you have been taking lessons from Azzeraell, right?" Yugi asked Harry.

Harry grinned "Yeah. He's not that bad, once you get to know him. Really prickly, but not that bad." Harry frowned. "But you know...it's only a week until we go to Hogwarts, but I still haven't learned that much from him. I know that there is still a bunch of things he could teach me, but I am not sure where I am going to find the time."

Yugi shrugged. "So, what is up with Ron, he seems a bit upset."

Harry sighed "He and Hermione are just still sorting through there sexual tension with each other. It's embarrassing to watch."

/He should talk./ the Pharaoh butted in.

/Hmmmm?/

/Oh, just watch the boy make puppy eyes at his best friend's sister! Go ahead. It's almost amusing./

/You know, I think we have better things to do then decuss our various love lives./ Yugi grumbled.

/I agree./

* * *

A week later found the three duelists at platform nine and three quarters.

And a certain someone was there to meet them...

"Oh look, a statue has come to life and started walking towards us!" Bakrua said.

"Stuff it, madman." Kaiba glared at Bakura. He had no idea why the nut was calling him a statue. Maybe it was because he had the personality of a rock to the head...

"Nice to see you to." Marik said.

Kaiba grunted at them.

"Ah, articulate as ever I see." Bakura said.

"I don't care what you people do, I am getting on the train." Kaiba growled and walked away from them.

"I see his personality has not changed in...how many thousands of years?" a familiar lilting voice said from behind them.

Bakura grinned, only now it was Yami Bakura "I see you made it on time, Azzeraell."

"Indeed. I have always wanted to be run across the land in a cage made of iron and steel." the elf said with an eye roll.

"Hey, whoa, whoa!" Marik said "What is the elf doing here."

Azzeraell sighed "I am getting on the train. With you humans."

"Why?"

"I'd rather not get into it." the elf brushed by them and boarded the train, not looking at anybody. Not even Bakura.

"Oh, he is pissed at me." the ancient spirit said "You can tell because he won't look at me."

"You have something to do with this, don't you?" Yami Yugi asked.

Yami Bakura grinned "Wait till we get to the school. It's going to shock the snootiness right out of you!"

"Hmmp." the Pharaoh grunted.

Between the two madmen he called friend, Kaiba and his dragon, Malfoy, Harry and now the elf...

It was going to be an interesting year...

* * *

A/N: Okay, now the ball is starting to roll. I know this chapter was short. Think of it as a little bridge from the time they are not in Hogwarts to actually be in Hogwarts.

What is Azzeraell doing going to Hogwarts? The answer may shock and/or amuse you.

I don't own any random mentions of old 90s cartoons, no matter how awesome said cartoons may be.


	9. Chapter 9

An Author's Note: A while back in the chapter 7 reviews a reviewer named Florida Alicat suggested that I stick in Naruto characters into this. At first I was reluctant to do this, this already has two universes and I was going to add a third eventually (not saying what it is, it is a surprise), but then my brain started envisioning weird scenarios with this story and Naruto characters (along with the actual, non crossover Naruto story I have been writing...), and now...

Well, this is basically turning into the great crossover melting pot. And, hey, since the third universe is also going to be from a book upping the number to two more, one a book and one an anime, will even it out. And, maybe this will help kick start my muse.

Don't worry, only three Naruto characters are going to be deeply involved, and you win the prize (or you would if I had a prize) if you can guess who they will be. I am still counting this as a HP/Yugioh fic, since those are the main universes involved.

Anyway, I can't find my copy of Halfblood Prince. Annoying. But then again, I really don't like Halfblood Prince as much as the other books. Don't know why. Anywho, I remember the basic plot, but until I find the thing you might not get scenes directly lifted from the book anymore. Sorry. I am sure you are all crying over this loss.

* * *

Chapter 9

Recruiting New Troops

Bakura yawned as he exited the Hogwarts train. Ah, the lovely English weather! Drippy and wet. Wonderful.

/I wonder what that Slugborn guy wanted with Harry?/ he said to Yami Bakura /He's been gone a long time./

/True. But I would not worry about it to much. Let's get to the castle before you turn into a mortal Popsicle./

/Oh, now you are worried about my health?/

/Since when are you snarky, boy?/

Bakura was still a bit worried as they got on the thestral driven carriages and rode to Hogwarts.

/Hey, why is your elf lurking in the doorway?/

/You will see. And he is not my elf. Don't let him hear you say that or he might hurt you. And since we are both in here.../

"Come stand over here." the elf muttered. Bakura, curious, did as he was told. He noticed that everyone else seemed to be ignoring them.

One by one, Marik, Hermione, Yugi, and Ron were pulled from the group of students. Azzeraell also tried to get to Kaiba, but the man ignored the elf and breezed by them.

"I really hate that human." Azzeraell muttered.

After a while Tonks appeared with Harry by her side.

"And where were you, boy?" Azzeraell said.

Harry muttered something about Malfoy.

"Spying on the snake? And you got caught did you? We will have to work on that." Azzeraell turned to Tonks "Thank you."

She nodded, not half as chipper as she usually was. "Oh, you know. No problem. I'll be off then." Everyone, even the people who did not know her that well, noticed that she looked a bit off.

"Is she alright?" Yugi asked after she had gone.

"Oh," Azzeraell threw up his hands "stupid humans and their blood mating rituals. I mean if she is not going to shag the mutt she should just...gah."

"...shag the mutt?" Marik looked confused.

"Bother that, we have no time. We have to be there and back again before the night is out." the elf said. "Now, to business. My Lord," he turned to Yami Bakura "do you remember a certain group of warriors that used magic similar to the wizard's own?"

Yami Bakura thought for a second. "Oh...them? The shadow people?"

"I found them. In fact, I've known where they have gotten to for a while."

"And why have you not told me of this?" the yami said with a little irritation "I thought all that was left were those pathetic remnants in this boy's island?"

"Umm, who and what are you talking about?" Ron asked "Shadow people? Are they like shadow mages, like you?"

"Not exactly," Yami Bakura said "We are called shadow mages because we use shadow magic. The shadow people used magic similar to yours, but they call it something different. Chakra or something like that. Anyway, they are only called shadow people because they...well it is an older Elder Breed term for..." Yami Bakura sighed "Ninja."

Ron laughed "Ninja?"

"Yeah, ninja."

"Wait...aren't there ninja dojos back home?" Yugi asked "I didn't think they were secret."

"It is hard to explain. These ninjas are a splinter group that broke away from both the Japan Ministry of Magic and the entire government of Japan as a whole. They didn't like the way Japan was going when their wizards went into hiding, so they...went into another world to get away." Azzeraell said.

"Wait...they resisted going into hiding...by going into hiding?" Hermione asked "That...makes no sense."

"A lot of what you humans do makes no sense." Azzeraell said. "They took a bunch of non-magical civilians with them so they could practice their art and traditions without interference from the other wizarding governments threating to make them go into hiding. But, I found an entrance to their world, and I visited it a few years ago. Now, with the rise of Voldemort, and the fact that he knows about the shadow magic, I thought it would be a good idea for us to have a secret weapon. People who know a different form of magic foreign to the wizards and to shadow mages alike. I met a group of them when I went there, and I think if we offer them enough money we can buy their services."

"So, basically we are hiring mercenaries." Yami Bakura said with a grin "I think I like this plan."

"But why are all of us going?" Hermione asked.

"You and Ron are going because you are going to provide moral support to Harry, who is going because I am hoping he can help me convince them to come along with us. You know, the whole Chosen One thing."

"If you don't stop calling me that, I swear, Azzeraell." Harry muttered.

"The rest of you I am going to use as a shadow magic battery." the elf said. "you are my ticket back to that world. I can't do it alone."

Yami Yugi appeared "Let us do this, then." he was eager to meet these new potential allies."

"Right." Azzeraell pulled out what looked like a silver rod "This is going to work a bit like a portkey. Just channel the shadow magic into it, and I shall do the rest."

Yami Bakura, Yami Yugi, Marik and even Harry began to channel their magic into the rod. With a pull and a flash of light the group was gone.

* * *

Yami Bakura fell into a sand dune, almost on top of a passing cobra. The snake, irritated and not having a good day to begin with, hissed at the shadow mage in Parseltongue _"Watch it, human!"_

_"Hey, don't blame me."_ the yami hissed back.

_"Whaaaaaaaat!"_ the snake spread its hood _"You speak?"_

_"Yep."_

_"Wow...I thought only the pedophile and the girl could talk to us. This is interesting." _the snake said.

_"Pedophile?"_

_"Guy named Orochimaru. Stay away from him. He's a bad touch. Traffics with our more nasty elements. The girl, Anko, is okay though."_

_"Thanks for the information."_

_"No problem. No skin of my scales."_ with that the cobra slithered off.

"You alright, Lord?" Azzereall asked.

"Sure, sure."

"Good, now take this." Azzereall handed him a smooth stone.

"Translator stone?" the yami asked.

"Yes, they do not speak modern Japanese here, but a more archaic form. I can speak it, but the rest of you can't" the elf began to distribute the stones.

"Ah, sand and sun! Feels like home, eh Tomb Robber?" Marik said.

"Yes, wonderful." Yami Bakura said. It did look a lot like home. Sand dunes everywhere. "Did we take a wrong turn?"

"No, this is the Land of Wind. Last time I was here I made some enemies in the other nations, particularly the one called Land of Fire. These are the only ones that might even consider our proposal."

"Does anyone like you, elfy?" Marik asked.

"Nope, not really." the elf said.

"Azzeraell!" Yami Yugi was in full Pharaoh mode "We have company!"

Marik looked and saw several people bounding towards them. Leaping over the sands in a manner that reminded him of hyperactive kangaroos.

"They don't look much like ninja, do they?" he said "I mean, what is with the weird Marine jackets anyway?"

Azzeraell smiled "Oh, good, I recognize that one in the lead. He will hear us out."

The aforementioned man slid to stop, half his face was covered in a cloth, but Marik was fairly sure his both of his eyes had widened, at least the uncovered one was "You!"

Azzeraell grinned "How have you been, Baki?"

"I thought you said you could not return to Suna?" the ninja asked.

"I found a nice handy power source since then." the elf nodded at the kids "Baki, this is my Lord, the King of Thieves, Bakura. That is Marik Ishtar, Yugi Muto, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasely."

Baki nodded at them, somewhat wary. He could sense an odd power here. Some of it was chakra, but some of it was the kind of dark aura that Azzeraell had called Shadow Magic.

"Again, what are you doing here?" Baki asked.

"We want to hire some of you." the elf asked.

_Oh no._ Baki thought _I have a bad feeling about this._

* * *

Azzeraell had expected to argue their case in front of the Kazekage, but apparently the man was dead. The elf was not disappointed. He had known the man, and the Kazekage had not been a reasonable man. From what the elf gathered there had been a failed invasion of the Land of Wind, and the Kazekage was dead. This was good. The Sunaians might have been less then inclined to listen, had they not been somewhat desperate for money.

So, while Azzeraell had expected to argue with them, he actually managed to hire a team without resorting to having Harry or Yugi give them a speech.

Thank Ra.

* * *

"I don't believe this, you want us to do what!?"

Baki sighed. He had not expected the council to agree to Azzeraell's request so quickly, and had been surprised, until they told him who was being assigned to this mission. His team. Minus himself. If this was not a setup then he was Leaf nin!

And, unfortunately, his most difficult student, Kankuro could see that as well.

One would think that Gaara, with the whole possessed by an evil sand demon thing, would be the most difficult to train. However, Gaara would basically do what you told him as long as he got to kill something. Or, at least the old Gaara did. This new Gaara, who had somehow appeared right after his fight with the boy, Naruto, was different. Now, he would what he was told because he was actually trying to rediscover his humanity. Temari was also easy to deal with. Though strong and stubborn she was also smart and knew when to follow orders, despite her tendency to object to lethal force.

Kankuro, on the other hand, was the most stubborn, willful, arrogant human being that Baki had ever met (and since Baki had never had the pleasure of meeting Kaiba...).

"They want us to go to Earth, Earth!" the puppeteer was pacing around and waving his arms in total irritation "to a school of wizards, who we know hate our way of life, and protect them other wizards and shadow mages! With no support! Alone. While you are doing what again, Baki?"

"What are you implying?" Gaara asked, genuinely curious. The boy had never listened to the mission briefings before, and was only now operating on something other then "see enemy, splat enemy" terms. He was trying to learn, and that meant a lot of questions.

"He thinks they are trying to get us killed. It's a suicide mission." Temari said grimly "Frankly I agree with him, Baki."

"As do I. But, for an Earther, Azzeraell is trustworthy, if a bit prejudiced against humans. If the council thinks that you will die it is because they have no faith in your abilities. I, personally, think that this is more then possible to accomplish."

"We do need the money, if I understand the situation correctly" Gaara noted "The attack on Konoha cost us lives and resources."

"Plus, think of the prestige." Temari said thoughtfully "Who else has gone on a mission to Earth? If we are successful it could really help the village."

And that pretty much sold Gaara on the deal. Baki wondered about that Naruto, he really did. What kind of odd power did he have, that he could transform a monster into a human being with just one fight? It was a terrifying thought, and he did not like it one bit.

So, even though Kankuro still thought that this was the worst idea he had ever heard, it was decided.

The Sand Siblings were going to Hogwarts.

* * *

A/N: In case you didn't guess, this chronologically happens directly after the Chunin Exams. And if you don't have any idea what I am talking about, then I suggest Google. I don't think you can find episodes online, but there is a rather nice wiki that you can find with info.

I hope my explanation for the Naruto world vs our world was not to strange.

Next, Hogwarts reaction to a team of bizarre ninja, Azzeraell's true purpose to be at Hogwarts is revealed, and what happens when arrogant ninja meets arrogant insane shadow mage...

Stay tuned.


	10. Chapter 10

An Author's Note: Warning. Kankuro has a foul mouth in this.

Chapter 10

Not a Good First Impression

The Hogwarts group had been waiting for about five hours. Within the first ten minutes Ron had started get concerned.

"Hey, are we going to miss the feast?" he asked.

"Don't worry about filling your gut." Azzeraell said "This rod will take us back to the exact same time we left. We are not on Earth anymore, remember?"

Ron was relived. He didn't want to miss the feast. It was the best part of the first day.

They had been taken to a room in the large citadel like building that was situated in the middle of the village. It was yet another rounded building in a sea of rounded buildings, but larger and taller. Baki had taken them there and told then to wait while he talked to some council about their proposal. It looked for all the world like a waiting room with large chairs and tables. It was even freaking air conditioned. It was rather pleasant.

Marik was getting bored.

"Gah, how long until these people get here, anyway?" he muttered "I have a feast to get to, remember?"

"Oh relax, Ishtar." Bakura was looking out the window, studying the village. "They will be here. What I want to know, is why does this place have an air conditioning system while Hogwarts has to be heated by fires." He turned to smirk at the rather tense looking guard that Baki had left at the door "Hey, you know the answer to that, grunt?"

The man stiffened "Just because you wizards refuse to interact with your own kind does not mean we do. Every village sends out teams each year to explore Earth and sometimes they bring back things. Like the air system and computers. We use chakra, but we are not savages."

Marik laughed "Oh, I love this place! See that, Ron! I keep telling you you people are cavemen! I was right! Hahahaha!"

"Oh stuff it." Ron muttered, not pleased at this at all. He was hungry and grumpy.

The door to the room opened, and Baki entered.

"Great, what took so long?" Marik asked.

The ninja looked at the odd wizard. He was not so sure about this bunch. Maybe it was the amount of gold this man had draped all over his body. Maybe it was the short boy's gravity and logic defying hair. Maybe ti was the mad gleam in the pale white hair boys eyes. Most likly it was the fact that they were with Azzerael, an elf that Baki knew was trouble. Sure, he was on good terms with the elf, but that did not mean he was less trouble.

"Trips to your world are never to be taken lightly." he replied. Actually, it had been more that the council simply wanted to be difficult. Ever since the Kazekage had been murdered the place was in an uproar. Of course, the moment someone mentioned that it would get Gaara away from the village, and possibly killed, the entire room had been behind the idea. Baki had to listen to crap like that a lot. He went along with it. At first it was because he to thought it better if the demon was dead. Had Gaara still held his old attitude Baki would have sent him there alone, hopefully to die. However, things had changed. It had not escaped Baki that Gaara was making a true and honest effort to change, and for that the older ninja was grateful. However, in the end Baki went along with the plan. Time away from the village might do Gaara some good. With people who were unaware of the demon Shukaku inside of Gaara...well perhaps Gaara would regain some of that humanity that he seemed to want to rediscover. As for Temari and Kankuro, Baki was sure that when push came to shove they would support their little brother. Despite Kankuro's fear of Gaara Baki knew that deep down Kankuro cared for his little brother. Why else would he have carried Gaara and tried to defend him during the Konoha invasion? And Temari had always cared for her younger siblings, both of them.

Baki realized how his thoughts had started to ramble. He looked directly at Azzeraell, deciding that the elf was probably in charge.

"We are going to accept this contract. Here, I hope that you can actually read this thing." the ninja walked over and gave Azzeraell a scroll.

Harry tried to peer at it. Unfortunately it was all kanji, and Harry did not know a lick of Japanese writing. Or the language for that matter.

Apparently Azzeraell was satisfied, because he shoved the scroll into a pocket and looked back at Baki "So they are your team then?"

Baki nodded. "I have duties here, but I have instructed them. They are the best in the village" Not a lie. Gaara had completed many high ranking missions without a scratch. Most found it hard to fight large amounts of sand trying to strangle you.

Unfortunately this is when the siblings decided to make there appearance. And it just went downhill from there.

Marik took one look at them and fell over, laughing uncontrollably. It was not Temari or Gaara who had caught his attention. Temari was, fortunately of her, a rather normal looking individual. Expect for the large folded up metal fan she carried on her back, and the fact that she styled her blond hair with four individual short little clumps, she was normal compared to her brothers. Gaara, of course, was creepy. The fact that he had no pupils and that he had permanent black circles around his eyes gave him an eerie stare even when he was not glaring (and he glared a lot). The huge gourd filled with sand sometimes drew comments, but even this was not what Marik was laughing at. Nope, he was laughing at Kankuro. The black jumpsuit with the red and yellow circle was not it, though. What drew Marik's scorn was the fact that Kankuro had on a black hood that, for all the world looked like it had little cat ears. This catlike quality also extended to the face paint that looked almost like a tabby cat's stripes. This was what Marik was laughing at. And now he could not stop laughing.

"What the hell! Bunraku! Did we hire mercs or the entrainment for the Qudditch match! I didn't know you guys had fighting theater troupes!"

"Bun what now?" Ron asked Yugi, who was the closest friendly Japanese person in range.

"Bunraku. It's Japanese puppet theater. He," Yugi nodded at Kankuro, who was now scowling heavily at Marik "is kinda dressed like one."

"Surprised you know that, Ishtar." Bakura said, now in full yami mode "I wouldn't think that you had any culture at all."

"Hey! Shut up!" Kankuro bellowed at Marik, who was now on the ground practically rolling "At least you can tell I'm a man! What the hell is up with all that jewelry!? Are you a girl?"

"Fool! There are no women where I come from! Only extremely girly men! And I am the girliest one of them all!" Marik did not know where that came from, but it was funny. It made him laugh even harder.

"Yeah, that is accurate." Yami Bakura said with a smirk "What the hell is this, Azzeraell? Is this a joke?"

Kankuro was not having a good day. He knew that this was trap, even if these Earth people were honest that did not mean that the council was not trying to get the three siblings killed with this deal. Plus, Baki had finally told them what Hogwarts was. A school. With children. Lots of them. Kankuro hated children. A lot. And, it was in England. Which was cold. And wet. He hated that as well. And now this weird she male was laughing at him. So, when Bakura asked if he was a joke the puppeteer shifted his glare to the other duelist. He did not like what he saw. Arrogant dark brown eyes meet arrogant and insane lighter brown eyes. The dislike was pretty much instant. The same way a negatively changed battery will repel a similar battery of the same polarization.

Kankuro didn't like Yami Bakura.

The feeling was mutual.

"You calling me a joke?" the puppeteer growled.

"Hmm, yes I think I did." Yami Bakura grinned. It was his usual mad grin. Most people paused when he flashed it, but Kankuro only scowled harder.

Kankuro was not about to take this. Practically snarling now, he reached aground his shoulder and took hold of the piece of cloth wrapped around it. The cloth was actually a piece of the wrappings that continued a large, cylindrical something strapped to his back. It had a little patch of brown hair on top, giving it the appearance of a mummy. With bang he slammed the thing to the ground and let it fall.

"You little wizard brats shouldn't complain when we come to save your asses." Kankuro growled "You can't even fight your own battles. Don't presume to tell me how to fight."

Yami Bakura glared. "You want to see Hell, boy? Come and try me."

"Umm, guys, I am sure if we all just calm down-" Hermione could see the train wreck. However, she was unable to stop it. Yami Bakura didn't like the way Kankuro was glaring at him. He was not used to being disrespected and he wanted to wipe the smirk off the puppeteer's face.

Yami Bakura saw no need to attack with his monsters, at least not yet. No point in giving things away to the ninja. He yanked out his wand and flicked it towards Kankuro. "Expelliarmus."

Yugi looked a bit surprised. He was used to the temperamental yami summoning a Man-eater Bug, not using a Disarming Charm.

The jet of red light hit Kankuro square in the chest and blew him backwards. Temari sighed and shook her head. _Here we go again._ She thought. _He pulled this same act in Konoha too! Idiot!_

Gaara looked from his brohter to his sister. He was unsure about what to do. Should he help his brother or just watch? What was approate in this situation? Temari just looked disgusted, but then she usually looked disguted when Kankuro was doing something stupid. Gaara decided to wait.

The show was far from over, anyway.

With a rattle what the Hogwarts group had thought was a rather temperamental sand ninja jerked to its feet and lunged forward like it was being propelled. The sand that had been covering it fell away. What was revealed beneath was a bizarre wooden thing. A puppet, shaped basically like a human, with four arms and a cloth draped around most of the body. It had a round head and three eyes. It rattled and clacked like an angry rattlesnake.

/Good God, Yami, what have you done now?/ the normal Bakura asked.

/Oh! This...is going to be great!/

/Oh dear./

It was not lost on neither the yami nor the host that this thing, this puppet, was similar to what now dwelt in the new deck the two of them had made.

The thing on the floor wiggled, and the real Kankuro emerged from the wrappings. From his hands blue light, his chakra, formed five strings that were attached to the puppet. Manipulating it and controlling it.

"Meet the Crow, asshole. Let's see how cocky you are when he's using you for target practice!" Kankuro said.

"Cute toy. Want to see mine?"

/Yami, wait!/

/Like hell! Let's show him a real puppet!/

Yami Bakura reached into his pocked as the Crow flew towards him. The mad yami knew his deck like the palm of his hand. He reached the card he wanted instantly, as if it had been waiting to be used.

"Come to me, Malice Doll of Demise." he tossed the card to the ground, and the fiend monster appeared just in time to catch the Crow's poisoned blade on its own large battle axe.

Kankuro swore at the thing that was blocking his puppet. "What the f-"

"Take this, fool." Yami Bakura was not going to let bad language stop him when he was on a roll. "I don't need to do a thing! My fiend will eat your soul all on its own!"

"Ummm, he's not really going to eat the soul of the one of the guys we are supposed to be hiring, right?" Ron asked.

"Never know with Bakura." Harry said, astonished at the display.

He was not the only one. Of course Baki was somewhat familiar with shadow mage summons from the elf, but Azzeraell had never summoned more then a giant pair of dragon claws, and even those had been indistinct. This thing was not only corporal, but Baki could sense the dark strength in it.

_You idiot, Kankuro! How many times have I told you to think before you act? I thought the incident with Shino Aburame would have taught you a little discretion!_ But it looked like having his chakra drained by a bug controlling Leaf ninja had not taught Kankuro a single thing.

The two puppets slammed into each other, knocking around chairs and tables and taking large chunks out of the walls.

"Alright, I have had enough of this!" Kankuro bellowed. With an evil smirk he knelt to the ground. He had never tried to operate the Crow one handed, but now he cut the strings attacked to his left hand. He then shot out his hand, reforming the strings and attaching them to Yami Bakura's leg.

"Ha! Got you now!"

Yami Bakura cackled. He laughed like a hyena.

"Stop laughing at me!" this was driving Kankuro insane! He hated that his opponent kept laughing at him no matter what he did!

"How much you like your toys, boy?" Yami Bakura grinned as the tines on the Ring began to wiggle.

The Pharaoh decided it was time to stop this. Summoning was one thing, but showing off the items? Not a good idea.

"Tomb Robber! Halt!" he bellowed.

/He is right! Stop it!/ Bakura tried to reason with his yami.

But, this just goaded him on. The Ring shook and flashed, and both the Crow and Kankuro fell to the ground, lifeless.

Now Temari was pissed. It looked like this lunatic had really done something harmful to Kankuro this time! "What have you done?" she bellowed.

Yami Bakura laughed. "Nothing much. He is just getting to know his little friend better. Intimately, you might say."

Yami Yugi was shaking in rage. "You fool! Have you no self control! You put that soul back where it belongs right now! I command it!"

"You command!" Yami Bakura whirled on the Pharaoh "You don't command me! What makes you think you ever could? Damn Pharaoh, I am going to-"

The Crow rattled.

Kankuro had always wondered what it felt like to be a puppet. He had always wondered what it would be like to operate one from the inside. Now, he was inside his beloved Crow, and while it was uncomfortable, that did not mean he was completely horrified by this. It took him a few minutes, but he found that he could still tap into his chakra.

And operate the Crow.

The puppet stood and aimed its hand at Yami Bakura. It bent at the wrist, exposing an opening. A blade slide out of the hole, dripping with poison. Kankuro could not speak, but it was obvious what he wanted.

"Hey, how about this?" Harry stepped into the mess. "How about this is a draw, okay? Let's stop fighting each other. There will be plenty of time to fight Death Eaters later. Okay?'

Yami Bakura scowled and turned away "Whatever, I do not care anymore. This is starting to bore me."

The Crow nodded.

The Ring twitched again, and Kankuro was back where he belonged. He might have started the fight again, but he was to busy mentally going over how it had felt to be inside the Crow. He wondered if he could do it again? It was kinda cool.

Hermione sighed. This was a bad start to things.

* * *

A/N: Yeah, I do not own Naruto, Yugioh, Harry Potter or any random references to Yugioh abridged.

I don't know if Kankuro's eyes really are supposed to be dark brown. It just looks that way on my tv. Could just be the tv. A lot of fics on this site say that they are green, but they look either brown or black to me. I think people just go with green becasue that is definitly Temari's eye color, and Gaara's are a sort of greenish blue (and pupilless). And since they share a few chromosone pairs...but I decided to go with what they look like to me.


	11. Chapter 11

An Author's Note: Just a word about Naruto terms before we get going, because I don't like the footnotes in my fics:

Jutsu: for all intents and purposes in this fic its the same as magic. It's a wee bit more complicated in the series, but I really never understood it fully. While I never liked the blantet chauvanism in the author of Naruto's writing, I do like the fact that he pretty much explains his magic process as he goes along in a way that makes sense. Of course, I will be twiking this as I go along. Rember, there are three types of this stuff: Genjutsu, taijutsu and ninjutsu.

Genjutsu: basically illusion magic that attacks the mind instead of the body. An example is this one character who can send your mind into a nice personalized hell for what feels to you like a few days. Only, no time will have passed in the real world, because it was literally all in your head. It is most similar to what the Items do.

Taijutsu: good ol' fashioned Chuck Norris style buttkicking. Martial arts. The stuff that makes Rock Lee, the blatant ripoff of Bruce Lee in the series, completely and utterly awesome despite the fact that the author does not even try to hide the freaking reference.

Ninjutsu: Basically what Kankuro did against Bakura last chapter. If you have ever seen those videos in AMV Hell 3 with the goofy hand signs...yeah that comes from this. Somehow the goofy hand signs translate into producing mighty balls of fire and some such. Kinda like waving a wand and chanting produces magic in Harry Potter.

And, because I do listen to the readers on occasion when I think they are giving me a good idea (and yeah, I am getting an ego, sorry), here is a recap:

_On our last episode (er, chapter) Harry, Hermione, Ron, Bakura, Marik and Yugi followed our local human hating elf OC Azzeraell to the shinobi nations, which (because your writer could think of no better explanation at the time) are in an alternate world. There, they managed to hire the Sand ninja. Unfortunately, Bakura and Kankuro decided that they didn't like the other's attitude, and began to have a smackdown fight. After Kankuro ended up in his own puppet, he turned the tables on Bakura by actually manging to control it. Fortunately, Harry managed to defuse the situation...but if we know Bakura it probably is not going to end here.._.

And, looking over this, I have just realized how messed up this fic had really become...

Oh well...

* * *

Chapter 11

Malfoy's New Crowd

Temari was certain, at first, that the crazed white haired lunatic that Kankuro had been fighting was not serious about the "eating your souls" thing. She had, at first, just though it was a particularly powerful genjutsu. But, now Kankuro, instead of doing what he normally would have done (which was swear more and/or attack again), was instead giving his puppet an odd look.

_I have to get him out of here, now. _She thought. It would be the perfect time right now, while the strange clients were giving most of their attention to the Lunatic.

She grabbed her brother by the shoulders and forcibly shoved him out the door. He didn't resist, which he normally might have, and this worried Temari.

"One second., Baki, just give us a few minutes." she said, trying to sound business like. It worked, as her trainer just nodded at her. If she was showing how worried she really was, then he would have said something. Baki was constantly telling them to control their emotions among strangers, even towards allies or clients. It was not good policy to show outsiders how close you really were to your teammates, for anyone could use that weakness against you. It was something Temari still occasionally had a problem with, most often when Gaara was going into full Shukaku mode.

Once they were out the door Temari kept on shoving until she found a nice private room across the hall, it was about then that Kankuro came to his senses.

"Hey, wait sec! Crow is still in there!"

"Oh stop fussing about your puppet, you know Baki won't let anyone do anything to it!" Temari growled. "I am more concerned about you! What happened in there!?"

"I think that weirdo actually put me inside Crow...somehow..."

"Are you serious! He actually put your...soul," she almost squeaked at the word "soul". She was not a particularly religious or superstitious women, and the thought of discussing souls made her uncomfortable "into the Crow?" she asked.

"Yeah, it felt weird. Kinda cool though." he shrugged. "I mean, I can use my chakra to see through him, you know that when I switch with him I have to be able to see what is going on so people think it's really me, but I never actually been inside him before."

Temari shuddered. She hated that puppet a lot. She also hated how her brother constantly referred to_ it_ as _him_. It annoyed her that he was so damn obsessive over what was supposed to be a tool. Just a weapon, but Kankuro treated it like a pet.

Kankuro smirked at her "Are you concerned about me? You know you are not supposed to show that."

"Which is why we are here instead of there, don't change the subject. Are you telling me that these people really have the ability to mess around with people's souls? Not just their minds?"

"I suppose." Kankuro shrugged.

Temari was still giving him a scrutinizing look "Kankuro, you don't really mean to say that you liked being a puppet...do you?"

He looked at her defiantly "What if I do?"

"Oh, I don't know...except for a certain traitor I happen to remember people whispering about every time you bring out that Crow of yours. A certain Sasori of the Red Sands. Remember him?"

Kankuro glared at her "Why do people keep comparing me to him? He left twenty years ago! I am only fourteen, he was gone years before either of us were born! So I am using his old puppet, so what? Nobody else was, and I like him."

"It's not just that and you know it! You keep referring to an inanimate object as a him! That is bad enough, but now you are saying you just spent a few minutes actually as one, and you liked it." Temari steeped closer to her brother "Don't you remember why Sasori was banished by our father in the first place? Remember what Baki told us they found?"

Kankuro tensed up "I would never use a human corpse to make a puppet. And, even though I thought it was kinda cool to be inside Crow for a bit that dose not mean I am going to start chopping up my limbs and replacing them with puppet limbs. I am not that sick. I just...it was interesting, okay? Maybe if I can do it on occasion I can figure out how Crow works better and use him more effectively, that is all. As for being attached to him, my I remind you that Gaara calls his sand Mother? Or that if anyone even grazes your fan you go into a screaming harpy fit? We all are a little attached to our weapons. So I call it a him. Believe it or not it helps me operate him."

"I don't see how personifying a puppet helps you operate it." Temari snorted.

Kankuro grinned at her "Well, that is because you are an uncultured twat, Temari."

She mock snarled at him "Oh you did not just call me a twat! Come here!" it was rare that she got to fulfill her duty as an older sibling, that of pummeling a younger sibling, but when she did she always did it well. Even though she was not talented in close range fighting she still managed to get her brother in a headlock and (despite the cowl) manged to find his ear, which she yanked with reckless abandon.

"Ow ow ow! Temaaaaaaaariiiiii!" he moaned.

"Ha! Got you!"

They were rare, times like these. Times when the two of them could ignore the fact that their younger brother was a crazed psychopath bent on killing everything he saw (they still were not quite convinced that Gaara had turned around, especially Kankuro, who had been the focus of most of Gaara's abuse). It was not often that they could forget about being Sand ninja, people who needed to show nothing to the outside world but savagery and brutality. Rare that they could pause for a moment and be, for a moment, brother and sister. But when these moments came, they were precious. Even if it involved Temari pulling Kankuro's ear.

Unfortunately, Baki chose this moment to walk into the room. He glared at the obvious display of affection and said "Stop acting like children. You have a mission." he glared at them one more time and exited.

Temari released Kankuro. He was frowning with disgust "Children." he muttered "That reminds me. We are going to a school. A school! Do you know how many children there will be?" he groaned.

Temari knew that Kankuro hated anyone younger then him. It was strange in a person only fourteen, but after being tormented and terrified by your younger brother dislike for younger people had almost become Pavlovian to Kankuro.

"Baki said the ages ran from about eleven to seventeen, so it's not like the majority of the school will be younger then you." she said.

"Still, there has got to be hundreds of the little rats." Kankuro replied with a shudder "Squalling and screaming and swinging from chandeliers and who knows what else! This is going to be a nightmare, Temari!"

Temari rolled her eyes. He could be so dramatic sometimes! "We have to go. Stop whining and deal with it. Maybe we can find something for you to do that does not involve the preteens, okay?"

Kankuro groaned as he followed her, muttered various versions of the f-bomb.

"And stop swearing so much! I don't know why you are doing so much of that today! Do I need to bring out the soap bar, again?" she bellowed at him.

"No, _Mother_." he muttered, though not to loudly. She didn't like to talk about their mother. Although Kankuro could not remember the woman, Temari did, and it sometimes hurt her to remember.

It didn't bother Kankuro that much.

Temari was as much a mother to him as a sister, anyway.

* * *

When they got back Bakura made it a point to glare at Kankuro, who returned the look with one of his own. It was hard to tell who had the more intimidating glares, Bakura through sheer force of madness, or Kankuro with the aid of creepy kitty facepaint.

Marik made plans to have a contest, one of these days.

Yugi decided that someone was going to have to play interference here, stepped between Kankuro and Bakura.

"Hi." he said "I'm Yugi, nice to meet you."

Kankuro turned the scowl to Yugi. He, like most who first meet Yugi, thought the short boy as younger then he really was. "Stay away, brat." he snarled.

Yugi blinked.

/Wow, he does not like anybody, does he?/

/Nope...should I just mind crush him and get it over with? I just know I am going to give this one a peneity game eventually. Mabye he will end up like Kaiba?/

/Pharoah, we really can't turn around and mess with his soul after we have just lectured the Theif King for doing the exact same thing not ten minutes ago./

/I suppose you are right./ Yami Yugi grumbled.

Meanwhile, Temari had decided that she had better step in as well, in case this kid also went nuts on them and did some weird not-jutsu on her brother.

"Sorry," she elbowed Kankuro in the ribs to get the moron to shut up "he just does not like little kids that much."

Yugi frowned "I'm sixteen." he sighed. He always had to clear that up!

Temari stared at him "You're joking."

"Nope, he's just short." Marik said, deciding to be helpful. "He's part hobbit! Like in that movie! All he needs now is an evil ring and a volcano!"

_Just as long as you don't tell them it is Bakura who has the evil ring, Marik._ Yugi thought.

"Okay, okay, if we can stop talking about short people now, we should get back to the castle." Azzeraell growled. He was getting grumpy. "Come here, Yugi, I need your magic again. And if you three are really coming you need to stand here, now. Wait. Wizards, give me back those translator stones. I'm going to give them to our ninjas here, so they can actually be understood when we get back."

The Sand Siblings went to stand next to the elf (who plopped the returned translator stones in their hands) Kankuro looking tense, Temari looking excited, and Gaara looked...well he looked like Gaara. A meteor could land right in front of him and he probably would not blink.

With no more discussion, Azzeraell took them back to Hogwarts.

* * *

As soon as they landed back at the entrance to the Great Hall, the Hogwarts group detatched themselves from the ninja and went straight in. After experiencing a time warp of about five hours they were all hungry, tired and ready to get the feast started. Especially Ron (who never missed a feast if he could help it) and Marik (who was also starving).

Before they got there Marik sidled up to Bakura and whispered "You know, we never really discussed what happened last year. What that snake said about that Chamber place?"

Bakura paused for a moment. Oh yes! Last year, after the fight at the Ministry, he and Marik and talked to a local garden snake about the Chamber of Secretes. The animal had mentioned something about Gryffindor, something that it seemed to imply no one else knew about the founder of the most famous and decorated house of the four Hogwart's Houses. Marik had wanted to go and check it out.

However...

"It is late, Marik. I am tired. We are certainly not going down there tonight. Try the weekend, okay?"

"Aww, are you tired, Tomb Robber?"

"What do you think, moron?"

Marik grinned at his friend and wandered over to the Slytherin table, where he imendenlty started to reacquaint himself with the various friends he made in the House, one in particular.

"Hey, Jeremy, how have you been?" he grinned at his friend.

The boy was looking over at a shadowy corner at the end of the Great Hall, frowining "Take a look over there, Marik." he said.

Marik looked. Malfoy. Not at the Slytherin Table, where he normally would be, but in that shadowy corner with his most loyal followers. Crabbe, Goyle, Nott and a few others. But, the most disturbing thing was not the presence of these old troublemakers of the Slytherin House. Looking closely, Marik saw not only the Slytherin badges, but Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and even one or two Gryffindors!

"What in the name of Ra is going on?" Marik said "Malfoy rubbing elbows with Gryffindors?"

"You have no problem with Gryffindors." Jeremy pointed out.

"But I am the wise and all knowing Marik Ishtar. That is Draco Malfoy. I ask again, what gives?"

Jeremy tapped a Slytherin girl on the shoulder. "Hey, Daphne, what are you hearing?"

The girl retracted an Extendable Ear with a snort. Daphne Greengrass used to be a follower of the Malfoy Cheerleader Squad, though not a particularly enthusiastic one. She had mainly done it due to peer pressure in her House. She found Marik a much nicer indivdual, and had been won over to his way of thinking last year.

"It's the usual pureblood rhetoric. Nothing new. The only difference I can see is that now he is not just talking to Slytherin purebloods, but purebloods from all the Houses. All of them over there are purebloods. Even those Gryffindors. I think they are the Cross twins. Meet them before, and they are Gryffindors of the worst sort."

"What do you mean?" Marik asked.

"You know when Professor Snape accuses Potter of being arrogant when he really is not being arrogant?" Daphne may have been a follower, but she had not been a stupid one "Well, they are the real deal. Can't stop talking about how wonderful they are. Drives everyone nuts."

Marik glared at the corner. Oh, this was bad. Malfoy was recruiting! While he had no evidence, Marik was certain that these purebloods were going to be people not willing to hear about Elder Breed, and who might not fully support the idea of half blooded wizards. Marik knew that these kinds of people probably existed in the other houses, but it had been so prevalent in Slytherin it had been hard to see anything else. Now, however...

"Well, boys and girls." He said "It looks like our work is far from done."

* * *

A/N: A lot of the Sand Siblings attitudes towards each other kinda come from my own mind from what is only implied in the series, a lot like how Yami Bakura and Bakura's early interactions were implyed (i.e. I did not make Yami Bakura sexually abusive, like I have seen in a few fanfics). This has to happen when you are dealing with characters the orginal writer does not bother to develop that much.

Just felt like I needed to point that out.


	12. Chapter 12

An Author's Note:

In the last chapter: _Temari and Kankuro had a moment, the ninja arrived at Hogwarts, and Malfoy began to plot..._

Chapter 12

Various ways of Spying

"Hey, conspiracy at four o' clock." Kankuro nodded at Malfoy's little group.

"Hmmm," Temari nodded slightly. "Going to use the use the Crow?"

"Probably not a good idea. Be a bit obvious with all this chakra floating around." Kankuro rolled his eyes to the ceiling "I mean, look at that ceiling! What a waste of effort!"

"I think it is pretty." Temari said.

"But it's not functional. It's pointless." Kankuro pointed out.

"Focus on the conspiracy, Kankuro." Temari grumbled. "You do whatever. Gaara? Eyeball?"

Gaara nodded and turned to look at a nearby statue. At least, that is what it would look like to anyone that glanced at him. What he was really doing was closing on eye and creating another out of sand, which traveled happily to spy on Malfoy.

Kankuro had a different method. Normally he would have used the Crow, but the big puppet would have caused a bit of commotion. Besides, if someone came along and interrupted the jutsu he would have a hard time trying to store the Crow at long range. Fortunately, he had something that would work almost as well. He leaned back against the castle wall, as if he was just acting casual. From his sleeve came a small bamboo snake puppet, the first he had ever owned. Actually, it had just been a favorite toy of his when he was younger, but most of his "playing" had in fact been training for actual puppeteer skills. Placing his hands on the wall he shot his chakra strings through the bricks. Since the bamboo snake was so small and simple it was easy to run the thing along the shadows of the wall and scurry it over to where Malfoy was. As soon as the puppet made it Kankuro curled it up inside the helmet of a handy suit of armor and concentrated on using the puppet to listen in.

Temari kept watch for her brothers. She knew that Kankuro would need concentration to use the bamboo snake's ears. It was actually a bit easier to spy with the Crow, for some reason the humaniod appearance of the battle puppet made it simpler for Kankuro to see and hear with it. With the snake he could only hear, and it was a bit muffled. Temari had no idea why this was. _She_ was not a puppeteer. So, she kept an eye on what was going on around them.

However, the Sand Siblings were not the only ones who noticed the activities of Malfoy.

Robot, the mini dragon, had finally found his keeper. Now, Robot knew that the keeper had not been away that long, but he had the odd feeling that this was not true. So, Robot found Bakura's shoulder and began to scold the white-haired shadow mage in an irritated hiss.

"Hey, hey, relax boy." Bakura scratched the dragon's head. Bakura's eyes were drawn to Malfoy's little corner.

/Hmmm, wonder what is going on with our friend Malfoy.../ Yami Bakura muttered.

/Nothing good. Why don't we send Robot over to check it out?/

/An excellent suggestion. Did you teach him that code thing?/

/Morris Code? Yes./

/Excellent. He won't talk to us even now, because of what he is, but he does not seem to have a problem with that code./

"Robot, go check out what Malfoy is doing, okay?" Bakura whispered to the dragon. Robot hissed in complaint, but launched in the air anyway. By now most people knew about Robot, and paid the dragon no mind. His forfather's plan had worked well, and no one could see just how smart Robot really was. All they saw was an animal. Perhaps a clever animal, but an animal.

"Malfoy, it's that Bakura creep's dragon." one of the Cross brothers pointed Robot out, who hissed at them and his pretended to nose around for mice. Robot was a smart dragon.

"Ignore it, it's just a dumb animal." Malfoy sneered "Stupid fool should not even own a dragon! It is just like I have been saying, isn't it? Dumbledore favors Mudbloods and Mudblood lovers! They can have dragons and special broom and privileges, but we purebloods? What do we get? Insulted by lowlifes like that Marik Ishtar! Overlooked by bigheaded attention getters like Potter! Look at us! Were it not for our families there would be no wizarding world at all! But these people think that they are so much better then us! And why? Because they were raised by filthy little muggles who hate us?

"I've heard that Potter's muggle relations are quiet cruel to him, but he always sticks up for them." Pansy Parkinson said with a sneer "What does that tell you? He must be lying about something! He always was an attention seeking little worm!"

"But...You-Know-Who...I am not sure. Didn't he kill a bunch of people?" a smallish Hufflepuff asked. "He killed Cedric Diggory!"

"According to Potter." Malfoy said "But can you really trust a blood traitor? No! I bet you anything that Potter did away with Diggory himself! I heard he tried to take out Viktor Krum, but he was stopped before anything could happen. No, the Dark Lord does not want to kill people, he is just trying to defend us from muggles and their ilk! You know that they would hunt us down if they knew of us!"

"What about Dumbledore?" A Ravenclaw girl asked.

"Dumbledore is an idealist. He thinks that the muggles will accept us with open arms. He is not a bad man, but idealism like his is dangerous. It could get all of us killed!"

Meanwhile, Kankuro was humming to himself. "Hmm, seems this slimy kid has answers for everything."

"What is going on?" Temari whispered.

"Not sure. Something about pure blood or some such nonsense. And a 'muggle'. What's a 'muggle', Temari?"

"How in the world am I supposed to know that?" Temari hissed. "Darn stones aren't translating that!"

"Temari, we should learn British. That is what it's called, right?"

"Actually, I think it is called English."

"I thought we were in Britain?"

"England, Kankuro." Temari said. Her brother was no good with geography. "Actually, I think it is Scotland."

"...what is the difference?"

"...kilts I think."

"Ohh...what about Ireland?" Kankuro asked.

"Potatoes."

"Oh...but Temari...I don't see any kilts."

"Kankuro, please shut up."

Meanwhile, Azzeraell had finally manged to pin down Dumbledore and told him about the fact that he had just brought the ninjas. Dumbledore wanted to meet them before the start of the feast, and went with the moody elf towards the same room that had once been used for the champions of the Twiwizard Tournament not two years ago. Dumbledore sent Professor McGonagall to find them.

While Azzeraell had been kind enough to describe them ("Just look for the kid with the mummy on his back and the face paint, and the boy with a huge sand gourd"), she did not expect them to be children. She was taken aback at the sight of the three young ninja, especially Gaara, who she could tell was barely older then a third year student! There must be some mistake here! Surely Azzeraell did not hire three children to protect the school!

Determined to clear this up, she strode over to the group. Temari spotted her and elbowed Kankuro to get him to let go of his snake. He hissed in annoyance, he hated to leave a puppet, but did as he was told. Temari then muttered to Gaara, who destroyed the sand eye, which resulted in a small amount of sand to be dumped on Malfoy's head.

"Let me do the talking." she muttered. In the mood he was in who knew what Kankuro would say or do? Kankuro was the best at gathering information, but he also had a horrible temper and said temper was on a rampage. Gaara...well it was best not to think about what he was capable of.

"Hello," Temari tried to make her voice as pleasant as possible. "Are you here to give us our orders?" she could tell just from looking at McGonagall that this woman was used to being in charge.

McGonagall looked at them tersely "I am Professor McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor House and Deputy Headmistress of this school. Who are you?"

Temari blinked. She must not have been told that they had been coming. That must be it.

"We are from the Sand Village of the Shinobi world. We were hired by the elf Azzeraell Though, he hasn't really given us our orders yet. I'm Temari, these are my teammates and brothers, Gaara and Kankuro." Gaara nodded and Kankuro kind of grunted. He was more concerned with his bamboo snake then some sour old woman.

"This cannot be right. I do not like pranks, young lady." McGonagall said sternly. "you are barely old enough to be allowed to use magic out of school, much less make the claim of being hired by that elf." And, she just noticed the accents. The Japanese accents. After spending time with Yugi and Bakura she knew Japanese accents, and all she could think was _great, more people to tell to 'please speak English' to!_

Kankuro bristled, he hated being underestimated "Hey, you old crone, we are not joking-" before he could insult the professor further, and she was already rather pissed, Temari stomped on his foot.

"Shut. Up. Moron." Temari hissed at her brother. She turned back to McGonagall "Sorry, ma'am, I think someone might have raised my brother in the barn."

Kankuro wanted to point out that that someone must have been either Temari herself or Baki, since those were the only two people who had actually "raised" him, but he did not want to get stomped on again.

Gaara, however, was getting impatient. He wanted his orders and he wanted them now. "Perhaps if you took us to the elf he can clear this up?" Gaara suggested in that calm tone of his.

McGonagall's Lazer Vision aimed at Gaara, and for once that piercing stare did not find a scared and intimidated young child. Instead, when she looked at Gaara's face a chill ran down her spine. McGonagall was not sure why, maybe it was the cold look in his eyes, but Gaara made her skin crawl. The other boy looked like a typical hormonal teenager, just like the other temperamental boys she had to deal with on a daily basis, and girl seemed bright, if prone to lying. But this boy...there was something wrong with this Gaara. Very wrong.

"Perhaps that is best." she amended, not letting her chill show. She was not going to show that a boy had manged to throw her off guard. Not at all. Turing briskly she motioned for the Sand Siblings to follow her.

* * *

Dumbledore was rarely taken off his guard, but not even he had been prepared for the three young children before him. When Azzereall had told them that he had brought a group of trained killers to protect the school not even Dumbledore had expected them to be children. However, he was a little more flexible in his thinking, and an excellent judge of character (if he did say so himself).

The girl was obviously the oldest, and somewhat in charge of the group. She gave him a steady, if mild look, and seemed to be doing her best to be polite. If she kept on that route Dumbledore could see politics in her future. She seemed just from her tone to be more diplomatic then the two boys, and obviously was the most emotionally stable of the group.

The older boy, the one with the face paint, struck Dumbledore as the kind of troublesome young man that all to often found their ways into detention at the school. You could just tell from the scowl and the attitude that the boy was trouble, but not trouble of the Tom Riddle kind. More like trouble of the Yami Bakura kind. He seemed to be the kind of kid that would light things on fire just to see it burn, and indeed through a little bit of Legilimency that Dumbledore would occasionally use for people that might be trouble, the old wizard got a brief vision of a younger version of this young man happily lighting drapes in an important looking chamber on fire.

The youngest, however, was the most concerning. On the surface he was calm and collected, much like a gentle lake. However, again through Legilimency, Dumbledore sensed chaos and violence. Confusion and hurt. This boy, Gaara, had been badly damaged by someone in the past, worst then anyone Dumbledore had ever met, worse then Snape, worse then even Tom Riddle. Dumbledore could practically smell the blood on the boy's hands. Such a dark soul for one so young! But, there was something else, a great deal of regret. And a desire to make things right. He would have to keep an eye on this boy, this Gaara. Dumbledore had a feeling that this boy was on that vital second chance that Dumbledore always believed a person should have.

Perhaps these three children needed to be here, far more then the wizards needed them.

Dumbledore was not the only one in the room, both Snape and Azzeraell were there as well. Snape because he did not trust anything the elf brought to the school one iota, and Azzeraell because he was the only one who tell them if these children really were the mercenaries they had been promised.

Snape was just as disbelieving as McGonagall. "These are children, not fighters. They have no business in a war!"

"Might I point out." Azzereaell said mildly "That a certain boy is also begin thrust in the middle of a war here? With a lot less training, I might add."

"What are you implying?" McGonagall growled. She found it incredibly odd that she and Snape kept finding each other on the same side, but here they were.

"I spent time with the ninja. Trust me when I say, they are all trained to be killers from a young age." To the professors' surprise Temari nodded at this, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "And I know Baki. He would have taught them young. No doubt they have already killed before, am I right?"

"Of course." Temari said "We have completed several high level missions prior to this. I can assure you all that we have all been trained for this sort of thing. There may be only three of us, but we are capable."

"And," Azzeraell contiued "At least these three know what they are doing in war. They are used to this."

"Again, I am not sure what you are implying." McGonagall said primly.

"Only that you keep throwing a certain someone in certain situations that lead to his begin in danger, despite the fact that you insist on coddling this certain someone and treating him like a child." Azzeraell said.

Snape snarled "You arrogant barbarian." he said coldly "How dare you?"

"Stuff it, bat face." Azzeraell snapped.

"Please, let us not dissolve into childishness, shall we?" Dumbldore said while Snape continued to glower at Azzeraell. "Perhaps, Azzeraell, it would be best if you told us what, precisely, you want these young people to do?"

Instead of answering, Azzeraell turned to the ninja. "Well, what do you three think you are here for?"

Temari had a feeling she knew what the elf wanted. He wanted them to prove themselves to this wizards. Fine then. It was lucky that they had already gathered some information. She made a case based on what she had learned.

"Obviously," she began "You have at least two different factions here, yours and the belonging to this this person that no one seems willing to name. I am assuming that there is a war, right? Also, based on what you have said just now, there is someone at this school that I think must be vital to your plans against this enemy of yours. Otherwise, why would we be here? I am guessing you either want us to protect this person, or the school as whole. Is that right?"

Now Snape was really giving them his most evil look "How did you know about the Dark Lord?"

Kankuro smirked "We are ninja. It is our business to know."

Snape hated this kid already. Arrogant little prick!

Dumbledore smilled "When Azzeraell said that he might be able to hire help, I did think that we might be able to use that help to protect Harry. You are right, young lady, he is vital to us. All of us." And hopefully no one would know why...

"Alright." Temari's brain had come up with a plan, she remembered that Harry boy from the Sand Village "Here is what I would do. Kankuro will tail the kid, make sure this Dark Lord's lackeys don't get to him. Gaara and I can take care of the rest of the castle."

"Besides the fact that Potter will greatly resent anyone who presumes to help him," Snape sneered "how are the two of you going to patrol an entire castle?"

"You people don't seem to expend as much chakra as we do," Temari pointed out "We can draw on a lot more then you, I can tell from here. We can sense the danger. And Kankuro is as stubborn as a bulldog. He'll be able to watch out for this Harry, no problem."_ and this keeps him away from children._ Also, Gaara does not sleep."

"At all?" McGonagall asked.

"No." Gaara said.

_Oh that can't be healthy. _McGonagall thought.

But Dumbledore had made his decision. "I think this shall work out well. Thank you three, for coming to our aid."

Temari grinned. She had done it! How cool was that?

Snape, however, was less then pleased. He did not like this at all. He did not trust these children. Especially that Gaara. He had cold, scary eyes. Eyes that remained Snape of Voldemort. The eyes of a killer.

Yes, he would be watching them closely. He had a feeling they were worse then even the dark spirit.

Much worse.

* * *

A/N: There is no evidence in the series that Kankuro ever lit drapes on fire. He just kind of struck me as that kind of kid.


	13. Chapter 13

An Author's Note: I am a hack poet, and I know it. I could not keep up the rhyme scheme in the hat's song. Sorry.

_Last Chapter: Malfoy spread lies and rumors, bringing people outside his House to his side. Meanwhile, the Sand Siblings found a place in Hogwarts. _

* * *

Chapter 13

The Elf's Purpose

To say that the entire school was surprised to see the three Sand Siblings follow Dumbledore and the other teachers up at their table was an understatment. However, this is not what shocked Ron and Hermione the most, what surprised them was the fact that Azzeraell was with them (looking mightily uncomfortable). He was not the the only one that looked unhappy to be there. The three ninja obviously did not know what to do with themselves, and so just kind of stood their against the wall behind the teacher's table.

Temari, who knew that her two brothers would probably explode from all the stares they were receiving, looked at Dumbledore and said "If you don't mind, Lord Dumbledore" Since Temari really didn't know what in the world a "professor" was she just went with a title that made the most sense to her given the context "I think that we should perhaps take a look around to familiarize ourself with the terrain."

Dumbledore smiled at her "You are the experts here, though I would like you to wait just a bit until I have announce you. Do you want to join us for the feast or will you be to busy?"

Temari could practically feel Kankuro and Gaara vibrating from the tension they were feeling "I believe that we'll skip it."

"I see. We could always ask the house elves to send you a meal later. And by the way, just Professor Dumbledore will do. I am not a lord of any sort."

Temari noticed that Azzeraell scowled at that, but said nothing.

Dumbledore proceeded with the Sorting. As the students were being Sorted (and none of them were very happy when they each were glared at by Kankuro, but then again not many would appreciate being glared at by someone like Kankuro), whispering was breaking out in the Great Hall. Not many knew about Azzeraell, and those who did had no idea why he was there. They also could not figure out who those odd people were standing behind the teacher's table looking strange and foreigny

The Sorting Hat seemed to pause for a second, then began it's song

_Long ago the Shadows faded, _

_But now brought back to life,_

_And warriors from afar return_

_To battle in this time of strife_

_Elder blood returns at last_

_For a final stand_

_And who knows what they will do,_

_When under Shadow's demand._

_All are different, all are strange._

_None are like the other._

_Shadows, Elder and inner fire,_

_Must now be called a brother._

_For the darkness that creeps outside_

_Is united in its goal_

_Warring between allies_

_Will surly take its toll._

_And though today I must Sort,_

_Each within a House, one remembers_

_That one cannot forget the bonds_

_That makes us all members_

_Of those who love freedom, peace and life._

_So don't forget that we are the same,_

_And we will win the fight, for_

_United we stand, we win the game._

_Some shall go to Gryffindor, the brave and the bold._

_Some to Hufflepuff, the kind and gentle souls._

_Some to cunning Slytherin, the Shadow shall redeem._

_And finally, Ravenclaw, where the brilliant dwell._

_So don't be shy, come on up,_

_And be Sorted in your House,_

_But don't forget, true friends_

_Are not found in a House._

That was enough to stop Kankuro from glaring at kids "Temari, that hat just talked."

"I heard." she said, giving the Hat a look.

"And it sang."

"Yes, it did."

"What is wrong with this place?"

"I am not sure about that, Kankuro."

Meanwhile, Yugi and Bakura were whispering in Japanese.

"Did you hear that?"

"Yeah, I did Yugi."

"It talked about the Elder Breed, and the warriors from afar might mean the ninja!"

Bakura nodded "You might be right, Yugi." Yami Bakura butted in "But I would rather not have to deal with that...that...freak."

Yugi giggled. It was odd to hear someone like Yami Bakura calling anyone a freak. It just seemed ironic. Still, he found the song interesting. It was not only telling them to unite the Houses, but also to join together with foreign magic like the Shadow Magic. It also told them to join with the Elder Breed. How they would do that, however, was a totally different story.

The Sorting done, Dumbldore stood up.

"I am sure that you all are wondering about the rather odd song the Hat gave us tonight. While I have never believed in giving my opinion on what the Hat says, it bears mentioning the Elder Breed. There can be no denying that these creatures are real, just ask a goblin and they will surly tell you how real they are! And now, even with the threat of Voldemort on the horizon, I have decided that this school should not remain ignorant of a subject that few have studied and even less are experts in.

Even though we wizards do not know much of the Elder Breed, we do have one in our midst." Dumbledore held out his hand to Azzeraell, who stood up with a carefully guarded expression. "This man is called Azzeraell, the last of his kind. The last of one of the most ancient and powerful of the Elder Breed. He has agreed to help us learn more of his kind. Therefore, he has agreed to teach a class on the history and ways of the Elder Breed. This class is optional, though I encourage each and every one of you to attend."

Whispering erupted through the Great Hall. Harry looked over at the Slytherin table and saw Malfoy looking furious. Harry, who had first hand experience of Azzeraell's teaching, was not sure how the school's students would react to Azzeraell.

"As you all know, Lord Voldemort has chosen to come out of hiding and attack the wizarding world openly. Because of this, we have decided to hire these three to help protect the school. They come from an entirely different land. They call themselves ninjas." Only Dumbledore could have said those words with a straight face and been taken completely and utterly serious.

The whispering was now getting quite loud now. Only a few people noticed the ninja's slinking away from the Great Hall. Dumbledore had gone on to talk about the other two changes in the roster of Hogwarts, specifically that of Snape's new position as Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and Professor Slugborn as the new Potions teacher.

Needless to say, the students of Hogwarts had a lot to talk about that day.

* * *

Harry was just getting ready to go up to the Gryffindor Common Room after the feast, when Professor McGonagall approached him with Kankuro, who had finished taken a general look around the Hogwarts grounds with his siblings (this had involved quite a bit of jumping around from roof to roof, a mode of travel that ninjas seemed to employ everywhere they went. They were rather like bunnies in that way).

"Mr. Potter," McGonagall had a tight lipped look about her. She did not like this idea at all, and not just the fact that Kankuro apparently was around fourteen years old. No, she was upset because she just did not trust the boy. She did not trust any of them. "While the Headmaster did not announce it at the feast, you should know that this one." she nodded at Kankuro, who was glaring at a portrait of a rather drunken jester who was making rude gestures at him "is going to be your bodyguard for the rest of the year."

"What!" Harry was mortified. It was bad enough that Malfoy just happened to be passing by, and heard them talking about it. What was worse was that it was Kankuro. Harry had decided that he did not really like the odd boy, mostly because he was just so loud and aggressive. He knew that the ninja was not a friend of Bakuras, and Harry considered both of Bakura's personalities as friends. He knew a recipe for disaster when he saw one.

And it did not help matters when Kankuro banged on the portrait of the jester and bellowed "Hey! You keep doing that and I'll toss you into the fireplace! Hear me!"

The jester blew a raspberry at the irritable ninja.

"Okay, that's it!" Kankuro grabbed at the picture frame and started to tear it away from the wall.

"Do not defile school property in my presence!" McGonagall bellowed.

"I'm not taking crap from the damn furniture here, you withered old crone!"

Now, seeing as how the boy was technically not a student McGonagall knew she could not give the annoying little brat a detention, but that did not mean she was going to let this pass.

With a wave of her wand a bar of soap appeared and flew to Kankuro's mouth, diving inside and scrubbing furiously. Having never encountered this type of punishment (Baki's idea of punishment was to leave you out in the desert without water until you started to hallucinate), howled and tried to escape, but the soap was relentless.

"Are you...quite sure he can do it, Professor?" Harry asked as the ninja tried to climb up a wall to get away from the soap.

"Honestly I have no clue." McGonagall said "I am not sure what goes on in that elf's head. He was the one who suggested this, and actually he is the one who hired them in the first place. Technically they are under his employ, not ours."

Harry looked at her "Really?"

"Indeed." she lowered her voice "Be wary, Harry. I am not sure I trust any of them."

Harry nodded. He had guessed, though this was just conjecture, that the only reason that Azzeraell was on their side was because Yami Bakura was on their side. He knew that they were friends long ago. He also had gotten the feeling from Azzeraell that he was, in fact, a mild bit lonely. Harry was not certain, but he thought that, if he had lived thousands of years without a friend or even a member of his own species, that if Hermione or Ron suddenly appeared and asked him for help then he would do it. At least, Harry hoped that was Azzeraell's motivation.

Still, he was going to have to keep an eye on Kankuro. He was started to empathize with Azzeraell, but that did not mean that he fully trusted Azzeraell. He was not even sure that he could completely trust the spirit, though Harry trusted Yami Bakura a lot more.

At this point the soap decided it was satisfied with the state of Kankuro's mouth and disappeared. Kankuro was about to go into another swearing fit when McGonagall went over to him with wand raised.

"You will not use such language in this school. You will not deface school property. You will not refer to me as a crone, and you will show the proper respect to your elders. I do not care who you think you are, but there are certain behaviors I will not tolerate from children, and ninja or no you are still a child. You will _mind_ me."

"Okay, okay." that was about as polite as Kankuro was willing to be. McGonagall decided that it would be enough...for now. It was obvious to her that this boy had never benefited from stern and regular discipline. Well, that was going to be rectified right now. She was going to civilize that little brat if it was the last thing she did! She stormed away, leaving the two to get used to each other.

Harry was not sure how to react to this, but then he spotted Ron and Hermione, who had been watching the entire thing. His friends walked over to her.

"I haven't see Professor McGonagall like that in a while." Ron said "She's so scary sometimes."

Kankuro muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "withered old crone."

"So...I guess this means we will be seeing a lot of each other." Hermione decided she was going to have to take on the role of peacemaker.

Kankuro shrugged and grumbled a bit. He hated babysitting a lot. He had actually done a bit of this kind of work before. Sometimes it was alright, there had been a rather kind young nobleman who had been surprisingly easy to deal with, but then again you had people like that merchant, who seemed to think "bodyguard" meant "personal slave". He wondered how intolerable this Potter kid was going to be.

As they started up to the Gryffindor Tower, Hermine tried to make conversation with Kankuro.

"So, how does your puppet work?"

Kankuro actually smiled at the question, it was the first time that the wizards had seen an expression other then irritation and sneers on his face. "Crow is a battle puppet. Functionally he is just like a regular one, you could attach normal puppet strings to him and he'd work fine, but he has a few nasty surprises in him. Poisoned weapons, mostly."

"Does he work like a wand?"

"I don't know, how does a wand work?"

"Well, a wand channels our magic through it, using body parts of magical animals and magically inclined wood to aid the process. We have things like phoenix feathers and the heartstrings of dragons as cores. What does your puppet use?"

"If you are talking about chakra, Crow doesn't have anything like that. He's just a wooden puppet with a bunch of hidden weaponry, but nothing like body parts." Kankuro actually seemed rather disgusted by the thought. Hermione wondered why that was. "The power comes from me. All I do is channel my chakra through my fingers and move him. It takes more control then what Temari or Gaara does. They are kinda use their chakra like large hammers."

For the rest of the trip Hermione and Kankuro talked about chakra and magic, trying to feel out the differences and similarities between each. It soon occurred to her that the main different between ninja chakra and wizard magic was not in the power itself. From what Kankuro said the power of chakra came from within, and while Ron and Harry never questioned where their magic came from, Hermione had been more curious. She knew that the magic of an individual came from inside them. Instead, she was starting to think the main difference was in the use of the power. Kankuro made it clear that ninjas only used their power for either fighting or sometimes for travel and some survival, but mostly it was for battle alone. Wizards, on the other hand, used magic for every little thing. Kankuro, Temari and Gaara were probably more powerful, but the wizards could do more.

Ron and Harry just tuned them out.

After a while they came to the portrait of the fat lady, which Kankuro of course glared at. He did not really like these moving things. They irritated him.

Seamus and Dean were surprised when they saw Kankuro stride into their room, looking pissed at the world in general.

"What is he doing in here?" Dean asked. He could not help but think of the ninja as a huge joke. Come on, ninjas? The guy didn't even look like a real ninja! Heck, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles looked more like ninjas then this kid!

Kankuro did not look at them, instead he walked about the room, occasionally tapping the walls and mumbling to himself. Finally, he nodded as if satisfied, and walked to the door.

"What time do you wake up?" he asked Harry.

"Around seven."

"Alright, I'll meet you in front of that talking picture then." Kankuro then turned to leave.

"I thought you were supposed to be guarding him?" Ron asked.

"What do you expect me to do? Sit at his door? He's fine here, and even if something happens I will know about it." Kankuro said.

"How would you know?"

"Trade secrete." Kankuro said dismissively. "Trust me, though. I have done this kind of work before, and I've only lost one person."

"Oh, that is reassuring." Dean muttered.

"It should be, the guy was actually an ass. Didn't' cooperate a bit. So as long as you don't act like a moron, Potter, we should be fine." with that, Kankuro left.

After a long silence, Ron said "That kid is completely and utterly mad."

"What is it with Japanese people, anyway?" Seamus asked.

No one had an answer.


	14. Chapter 14

An Author's Note: I just realized my chapter title looks almost like the title name of a Naruto episode. I am watching to much of this stuff...

_Last time: the Sorting Hat warned the characters to unite, Azzeraell was announced as a special teacher for a new subject focusing on the Elder Breed, and Kankuro got his mouth washed out with soap by McGonagall for being a little brat._

* * *

Chapter 14

Gaara vs. Kaiba: The Stare down

Dumbledore set up the three ninja in a tower just across from Gryffindor Tower. It was a handy place, the best part being that if something did attack said Tower of Gryffindor the ninja were just a chakra enhanced hop away from Harry's window.

Harry was unaware of this.

Kankuro was a bit late to dinner. He had gone down to the Great Hall to retrieve his snake puppet. Unfortunately it was not where he had left in inside the suit of armor. He searched in entire hall, but could not find the thing.

Disgruntled and not at all happy, Kankuro decided to see if perhaps Temari had retrieved it for him. It was possible.

Kankuro walked into the sibling's tower and looked around. It was like a smaller version of Gryffindor Tower, behind the door was a living room like area with a fireplace, a couch and a few armchairs. To the left side there was a large, rectangular shaped room with a table and chairs, apparently meant for dining. To the right there was a flight of stairs which lead up to three bedrooms.

"Hey, come in here and look at this." Temari poked her head out of the dining area with a grin "Free food!"

"Alright!" Kankuro grinned. He was starving. "Have you seen my snake puppet?"

"Wasn't it hidden in that suit of armor?"

"Yes, but now I can't find it."

"Sorry, Kankuro, I have no idea where it could have gone."

Kankuro grumbled, but decided to drop it. He hated to lose his first puppet, but at least it had not been Crow. He had plenty of time to look for it after all. They would be staying in this place for a while.

The house elves, unfortunately, had no clue how to make Japanese food (much to the annoyance of Bakura). They had made do with a half a roast beef, a plate of vegetables and a large pudding.

"Wonder how they make this stuff just appear like this." Kankuro said with a mouth full of beef "I mean, I can't sense any jutsu."

"Kankuro, swallow before you talk." Temari said. "And chew your food. The least you could do is _pretend_ that you are civilized."

Kankuro grumbled and took a drink. "And what is this stuff?" It was butterbeer, but Kankuro didn't know that.

Temari shrugged. It did not taste like anything she had ever drunk before. Not bad, just odd.

"This place is strange." Gaara said as he examined a box of Chocolate Frogs that he had obtained from somewhere. He opened it, and the frog made a break for the window. Unfortunately a tendril of sand caught it and it was returned to Gaara, who stared at it in puzzlement "Is it alive? Did they coat a frog with chocolate?"

"Bite its head and find out." Kankuro suggested.

"I doubt they would give us live frogs to eat." Temari said "They seem a bit softhearted to me. It is probably just a jutsu that lets the thing act like a frog. They use chakra for just about everything here."

"True." Gaara took an experimental bite. It turned out to be regular chocolate. "I wonder if they feel pain?"

Kankuro shivered. Since Gaara rarely changed his tone from a monotone, Kankuro believed that Gaara had said it out of sheer viciousness. It had been like that for as long as Kankuro could remember; Gaara constantly trying to spread as much misery as he could. Kankuro had even caught the boy "practicing" his jutsu when Gaara was seven. The "practice" had been Gaara catching poor innocent sand lizards and crushing them. Kankuro and Temari had not been allowed to see Gaara for those few innocent years when Gaara had lived with his uncle, Yashamaru. During that time Gaara had been a sweet, gentle little boy with the unfortunate power that struck out whenever it felt threatened, regardless of Gaara's will. But then Gaara's uncle had tried to kill Gaara, and in doing so died himself, but he had left telling Gaara things that had mentally destroyed Gaara, and turned him into a killer. It was that killer that Kankuro had meet when their team was formed, and it was the killer that Kankuro knew his brother as. It did not occur to Kankuro that Gaara was starting to once again feel empathy and pity for other living things, and indeed that is what was happening.

But Kankuro could not tell the difference...

* * *

"Ishtar."

"Oh, finally decided to come out of your shell then, Kaiba?"

"Cut the crap Ishtar, you went with that elf today, and you brought back those...people. What is going on?" Kaiba scowled at Marik

"Oh, you noticed the ninja?" Marik grinned "I thought you were to busy having your head up your ass."

"I am warning you, Ishtar, do not toy with me. Talk. Now."

"Kaiba." Marik sighed "They are exactly what Dumbledore said. Ninja."

"They look like wannabe duelists with retarded themed decks, especially the one in the bunraku getup."

Marik shrugged "You know, if you ever emerged from that tightly held bubble you have around you, then you would know a bit more about what is going on. If you want to see them in action yourself, be my guest, I am not going to help you."

Kaiba's scowl deepened. "I will."

* * *

It was around midnight now, and Gaara was wide awake.

Gaara never slept. If he did, then Shukaku would begin to eat away at his personality. In the past Gaara had not cared if the demon ate away at his very being. It just made it all the easier to kill later on. However, now that he was trying to become more human, he knew that falling asleep and letting Shukaku do as it willed would be a mistake. Plus, there was also the fact that the demon would go on a rampage. That would not be good either.

Gaara was restless as well. He did not like unfamiliar places, and Hogwarts was extremely unfamiliar. It was ever worse then in the Leaf Village. At least there the Leafs had been their close neighbors, and they understood each other. Sand saw Leaf as wimpy and spoiled peace loving fools and Leaf saw Sand as violent, vicious barbarians who loved to fight. But here, who knew how the Hogwarts wizards would react?

Gaara found himself walking up to the room Kankuro had chosen. Not for any particular reason, he was just getting bored with just wandering about the fireplace area. He found Kankuro shivering and huddling underneath the covers of the unfamiliar bed. Asleep, but still obviously cold.

In the old days Gaara would have just scoffed at his brother's weakness and called him a fool, then left the room. But, now Gaara stood there and thought. He thought back to his fight with Naruto, the strange, loudmouth fool...or so Gaara had thought. The worst shinobi of the Leaf village...until he had beaten Gaara. And why? Because he had friends to fight for, at least that is what Naruto had said. When Yashamaru had tried to kill Gaara, telling him that he had never loved Gaara and that he only wanted to see Gaara dead (after years of telling Gaara the exact opposite), Gaara had decided to live and kill only for himself. He thought that made him stronger than anyone. But Naruto, a dorky little brat whose favorite pastime was brag about how he was going to be Hokage, a person that even his own people thought of as a fool, had beaten Gaara.

Because he had people he wanted to protect. And, because of that, Naruto had something else. Something Gaara had not had for a long time.

Naruto had been happy.

Gaara had thought about that a lot. If he was going to find that happiness, find people that could care for him, and that he could care for, then he had to start somewhere. He thought he should start with his teammates...his...siblings.

Kankuro hated the cold. Gaara knew that. He was very venerable to it.

What should Gaara do?

Help him, of course...how?

Wasn't there an extra blanket in the room that was supposed to be his? He was not going to use it...

Why not?

/Why bother?/ It had been a while since Shukaku had talked to Gaara, not since the exams. /Let him freeze. What has he done for you?/

/Nothing, but that is the point./

/You really are going to do it, aren't you? Don't listen to that idiot fox freak! He knows nothing!/

/He beat you./

/That was the frog, not him. He would be nothing without that frog summon!/

/Be silent./

/What? WHAT!/

Gaara was a bit shocked himself. He had never gone against the demon before. He was emboldened when nothing bad happened.

Gaara felt something familiar as he took the blanket from his bed and carried it to Kankuro's room. He remembered the time he had accidentally hurt a child when he himself had been little. How he had tried to give the boy a healing salve later that night. How happy he had felt at the thought of making another happy!

/And do you remember the pain when the boy slammed the door in your face and called you a freak?/ Shukaku gloated. /Do you really think the coward will be different?/

Gaara did not bother to answer.

Gaara almost smiled as he entered Kankuro's room. His older brother was still shivering in his sleep. Gentaly, as if he was approaching a fearful animal, which is how Shukaku himself had always talked of Kankuro in the past, Gaara pulled the extra blanket over Kankuro. It helped. Kankuro stopped shivering and shaking.

"Mmmm, thanks 'Mari."

Gaara froze. 'Mari? As in Temari?

/See? It is not you he thinks of, but her. The bossy little bitch!/

/He's asleep./

/Yesssss, you noticed? Amazing. Still changes nothing! In his sleep the truth is revealed. He will never think of YOU as a friend or a brother. Only her. Never you./

/He has no reason-/

/YES YES! He has NO REASON. He hates you. Hates both of us! It will never change! Never. No matter what you do! Why don't you just kill the little brat now! Worthless, whiny, loud, obnoxious little pig that he is!/

/SHUT UP!/

/He will be exactly like your uncle. He will use you. Betray you, and then try to kill you. And I will kill him. And all there will be with you is pain! More pain! Don't you remember what happened last time, you fool! Let me kill him now and you will be spared!/

/LEAVE HIM BE!/

Gaara was clutching his head, trying to drive the voice out or block it. His eyes were wild and wide, and he had a crazed look. He looked, in short, like a madman. He moaned, trying to keep the demon in check.

And Kankuro, who was still a ninja and a light sleeper, woke up. Just in time to see his manic of a brother. Standing over him looking positively homicide.

"Ack! Go away! Leave me alone! I didn't do anything!" Kankuro knew he could never escape the demon, not with the reach it had. He held up his arms, trying to ward Gaara off. It was useless, he knew, but he could not just sit there and let Gaara crush him.

Gaara saw the utter terror on Kankuro's face. Shukaku had been right. It was just like last time.

Gaara let the sand envelope him, and he teleported away.

Now that Gaara was not bearing his teeth at him, Kankuro relaxed. He finally noticed something odd.

"Huh, where'd this other blanket come from..." he muttered. Gaara had been in his room.

"Naw, it couldn't be...could it?"

* * *

Gaara wandered the halls of Hogwarts now. Eventually dawn broke. Somehow he ended up in dungeons, near the Slytherin Commons.

Kaiba was just leaving with his laptop, determined to get some early morning number chrunching done. His first reaction to seeing the "ninja" was a disbeaving and irritated snort.

Gaara, after last night, was not in the mood.

"Do you have a problem?" he growled.

"Yes." Kaiba said in the exact same tone. It was almost scary how alike they were in tone. "I want to know why you are here and what you are."

"I am here to proctect this school. I am a ninja."

"You are lying." Kaiba said.

Gaara stared at the strange man in front of him. He had never seen a gaze so...intense. Not lonely as the weakling Uchiha's had been (Gaara was still disappointed that the boy had turned out to be so much weaker then Naruto. It was annoying that Gaara's estimation of the two Leaf ninjas had been so off the mark on that), but just...intense. Focused like a lazer.

Kaiba stared at Gaara, meeting his gaze.

Gaara returned the favor.

They stayed that way for some time. Neither wanted to give the other the pleasure of seeing his opponent back down. They stood in almost the exact some stance. Bodies stiff, arms folded, and expressions irritated. They did not notice as Slytherin students began to emerge. They did not notice as these students skirted them, they were not fools.

And them Marik emerged. He saw the two of them: ninja and reluctant shadow mage. Except for the hair and facial features they looked exactly alike.

It was too good a line to pass up.

"Hey, look Jeremy! Kaiba has found his Mini-Me!"

"Stuff it, Ishtar." Kaiba said, not looking away from Gaara.

"What is a Mini-Me?" Jeremy asked. Marik explained as the two headed to breakfast.

Kaiba and Gaara did not move.

From somewhere above them a poltergeist named Peeves floated towards the dinning hall, a poor abducted snake puppet clutched in his ghostly hand. Peeves was making hissing nosies, sounding like a broken teakettle more then a snake, and waving his new toy around.

Kaiba and Gaara did not react.

This was going to take a bit...

* * *

A/N: I am sorry for the annoying angstyness in this first part. Hopefully the last part made up for it.

A little angst is to be expected with a soul searching Gaara in the story. I just hope ti does not become annoying.

The scene of Gaara and Kaiba having a staring contest came to me when I thought of putting Naruto into this. I don't know why, but I find it funny...

I do not own Harry Potter, Naruto, Yugioh, or any random referances to Austin Powers.


	15. Chapter 15

_Last chapter: Gaara emoness, followed by an epic stare down with Kaiba. _

Chapter 15

Bakura Lays Down the Law

Bakura was getting sick of it.

After the feast, he and his yami had gone directly to bed, mostly because they were both tired. Then, they had witnessed the scene between Harry, McGonagall and "the puppet boy" as the spirit called Kankuro. While Yami Bakura had taken almost obscene pleasure in watching the ninja scramble away from a bar of soap (he would have to remember to learn that trick), the yami was less then pleased to hear that the runt was going to be trailing along behind Harry like a damn ball and chain.

Bakura hated the boy, everything about him. From his attitude to his looks and to the annoying fact that somehow he had manged to copy the yami's deck without ever meeting before...well let's just say that Yami Bakura was not pleased.

Bakura, the real one, thought of this as incredibly ironic. The fact that his yami seemed so obsessed over the actions of a kid that they never knew existed until today, and the fact that the boy had the same attitude and much the same temperament as his yami made Bakura think that either the Black Fox had been at it again, or that life was just strange. Really really strange. Bakura found Kankuro so much like his yami that it would not have surprised him if the strange "ninja" could use the power of the shadows, thought Bakura really did not want to try out the theory.

But now, sitting his his soulroom while his body slept and recharged (neither Bakura nor his yami really understood how this operated. For some reason the time he and his yami were in their soulrooms never resulted in actual tiredness in the real world. Bakura supposed that soulrooms might have the same effect on the body as actual sleep, but he did not know for sure), Bakura was having to hear the spirit rant. Again. Oh, Bakura knew why his irritable ancestor/dark side was pissed. For so long the yami had free reign with his victims, sticking them into random objects without a worry or care. Aside from the Pharaoh and his friends (Bakura was not quite sure if they thought of him as a friend, he was afraid that the past actions of the spirit had poisoned his relationships so much that it might be impossible for any of them save Yugi to fully trust him) this was the first time that a person had manged to no only resist the power of the Ring, but also to turn the tables against the spirit and actually threaten his life. Perhaps it was that fact, the fact that Kankuro had seemed willing to kill them in that fight, that had the yami so irritated. It was rare that Yami Bakura meet someone so like him, and it was obvious that he did not take it well at all.

Bakura himself started to find himself becoming more and more irritated with the spirit. Sure, it was understandable that the man would be pissed, but this was getting just plain annoying. Why did the spirit have to whine about it so?

"I'll get the little brat! Just wait and see! We can do something really horrible to him..."

And, that was another thing. The yami was so eager to get them into trouble, so eager to fight and cause trouble. It was making Bakura angry, and he was becoming angrier by the minute. It had been a while since Bakura had been very angry. Half of it was the fault of the spirit. The spirit's last trick before the Black Fox had extracted the evil of Zork from the ring had been to put his host into a kind of stupor, almost a sleep. While Bakura was not by nature a mean person he was getting very very annoyed, and it had been a while since he had let this side of him out. Now that Yami Bakura was no longer oppressing him Bakura was becoming more and more irritable.

And he was really really getting sick of this spirit always taking control. Sure he was not downright evil anymore, but whose ideas were all those prank on Umbitch? Mostly the yami. Who took charge and did things? The Yami. Bakura did not want to do it anymore. He did not want to constantly be bowing down to a spirit. This was his body! The Thief King had his chance and he blew it! Why should Bakura have to suffer for his ancestor's mistakes!

"We can-"

"No, we wont." Bakura said. He was surprised at how good that felt!

Yami Bakura turned to Bakura and said "What? Do you have an idea?"

"No," Bakura snarled, and the yami looked at him in puzzlement. "You are going to stop it. Now."

"Wait...what? Come on! The kid humiliated us and-"

"The only one that humiliated me is you, Yami!" Bakura jumped up and shouted at Yami Bakura, who had the same look on his face a man has when a sweet adorable puppy suddenly turns around and bites the hand that feeds him. "You and your strutting around and your mouth and your...your...ah!! Do you realize that you might have totally ruined everything for everyone with your stunts! First you attack the kid for no reason other then the fact that you could, and then you start slinging around Shadow Magic like it's a machine gun with infinite ammo!

"Hold it boy-"

"NO! NO! I am going to BLOODY well talk and your are going to BLOODY well listen to me! I have put up with your crap for years! Now it's my turn! You never listen to me! You never have! Now you are going to!" Bakura did something that, only a year before, he never would have done in a million years. He stood up, walked over Yami Bakura stuck a finger in his face. "You seem to forget who owns this body. It is not you! Its me! I should be the one making decisions for my life! You never let me do any of that! You always push me down or push me aside. Even now you still act like you are in charge! That is going to end! I want to be in charge of my life, not constantly be pushed around by someone who should have died eons ago!"

Yami Bakura was looking at Bakura as if he had never seen the boy before. Then, the spirit smiled "You may have a point there. But what makes you think you have more of a right to live then I do?"

"You had you chance." Bakura said coldly.

The two stared at each other for a moment. Bakura felt strange. Oddly free and relived. He had wanted to be independent for years. Now it looked like his normally forceful yami was backing down.

"I do want to have some time out, though. But...you are right. I might be a bit...overwhelming. I am...sorry."

Bakura blinked. When was the last time his yami had apologized to someone? He had forgotten.

Yami Bakura sighed. "I still want to keep an eye on those ninja. I don't trust them."

"Azzeraell is your friend. You don't trust him?"

"He is a good and loyal friend, but that does not mean that it is impossible to fool him. I would like us to keep an eye on them. Besides, we don't know how faithful they are with their promises. What if they betray us to the Death Eaters for a bigger payout?"

Bakura was starting to settle down. "You have a point there, yami. Just, stop being so pushy. For one thing, if we are going to keep watch on the ninja, you need to stop acting out. If you go charging into things you will tip them off and just make things worse."

"Boy, stop acting like you know more about espionage then I do." Yami Bakura grinned "Has it occurred to you that, by acting as I did we learned several things?"

"Like what?"

"What that puppet thing of his does, what he can do with it, and a bit more of an idea of how they are different then a wizard. Did you see how different it was?" Yami Bakura asked.

"Yes, I think it is the same power source, but wielded a different way. I would say that our wizards kind of use their power like an array of tools. You know, each spell is like a tool, one does this thing and one does something else. But the ninja use it like weapons and just weapons. They probably use more power, but less finesse."

"We Shadow mages get our power from the Shadow Realm, and the power of the Realm flows through the Items. It is why we can use it so easily, because we have the Items. Without it would be almost a trickle. The Elder Breed...I never understood where they get their power from, but they could access the Realm. They did other things though, they have some sort of power source that does not come from the same inner power the wizards have."

Bakura's eyes widened "Wait, that is what the hat was talking about! Shadows, Elder and inner fire! We are the Shadows, the Elder breed is the Elder and inner fire must mean the wizards and the ninja."

"Yes...the hat was telling us more then just to unite. It was trying to give us hints. I don't know if it sees the future or not...maybe it is just good at guessing." the yami shrugged.

Bakura grinned. He was happier then he had been before, and feeling more like his old self.

Yami Bakura could not help but feel somewhat proud. He had never imagined that the boy would stand up to him like he had. It had been shocking, but at the same time very pleasing. Deep inside, Yami Bakura had kind of wanted the boy to stand up for himself. Bakura had spent all of his like as a doormat (and the yami was well aware that this was in part his fault, but he tried not to think of it to much), but now he was starting to show a little backbone. That the backbone had been demonstrated for himself did not upset Yami Bakura, but instead made him feel and almost paternal sense of pride. When riled the boy was more like him then the Thief King had thought, and it made him happy. For some reason Yami Bakura had gotten very very emotionally involved with the young man he had previously used, and now he was happy to see him step up. Yes, Bakura had rebelled against the spirit before, but never so directly or so explosively. Yami Bakura believed that assertiveness was important. Not surprising, he lived in a time were men were expect to be assertive or else they would be in trouble. He regretted pushing Bakura down so much, it was his fault that the boy had been so shy and introverted for so long. Now, Bakura was breaking through that shell, and it was a joy to watch.

However, he also realized something else. One day, perhaps soon, Bakura would not need the spirit anymore. The boy was learning, and learning well, and the yami knew that someday the boy would have to face a challenge as an adult, and would have to rise to the task. That day he would no longer need the spirit, and the spirit would...well to be honest the Thief King did not know what would happen to him. He would have to leave young Bakura that day, forever.

The spirit did not know what he was going to do when that day came.

* * *

That morning, before Marik emerged to tease Kaiba about having a Mini-me, Snap assembled a group of Slytherins. These poor young ones all had one thing in common.

"Failure." Snape glared at all of them, pacing in front of the group like a drill sergeant just given a group of nerds of train into soldiers. "Every year it is the same thing. I expect this kind of thing from the rest of the Houses, but within my own?" he glared at each of them "It is is intolerable."

His eyes flickered over the group. It seemed like it was the same group of kids every year. Jeremy had literally been held back at least five times! Snape did not know how the boy did it. It was annoying.

The only person here who had even the least bit of an excuse for this travesty was Marik Ishtar. Sure, Snape did not like the fact that the boy paled around with a troublemaker Gryffindor. However, he knew that Bakrua was not the problem. It was the boy's lack of a proper educational foundation that was the issue. Snape was no clear on the details, the boy's sister had been irritatingly vague, but he had learned at Marik had not been given a proper education a all. This was a problem after the boy had been thrust into a classroom setting as a teenager with absolutely no experience.

Still, it could not be tolerated. Snape could not make an exception for Ishtar, no matter what he knew about the Egyptian's background. While many in the other Houses said that Snape favored his own, that was not totally true. He was actually more strict towards the Slytherin, but he kept that fact hidden from the rest of the Houses. Snape did not make exceptions nor did he accept excuses. He knew that many people said that he was overly nasty to the other Houses, but the fact was that he did not have contact with the other students outside the class. And, by even their first Potions class, most Slythern knew how Snape was like, and knew not push his buttons. The others did not know this, so they constantly stepped on Snap's toes.

That being said, it should come as no surprise that Snape was determined to punish the miscreants. Detentions were handed about, and Snape spoke at length at them. that woudl nto be the compleate end, however. now he would ahve to go through their scores, bit by bit, and find otu if there was anythhing speacial he needed to send the kid in to do. marik just did not know anymore. what he did know was that now he had to take remdial classes...

Spellcasting for dummys.

Just...great...

Snape dismissed them, but for some reason that blasted Ishtar was staying back. He wanted something...great...

"Professor, I have a question."

"What is it, Ishtar?"

"Is it possible to duplicate magic items?"

Snape stared at Marik. "Why would you want to do that?"

Marik grinned "Would you believe curiosity?"

"No."

"I want to make a copy of a magical item. Something that can do the exact some thing the original did."

"No, magic is not that simple." Snape could go into theory, but he had a feeling it would fly other the oblivious boy's head. "If you found the original creator you could learn it and memorize it from scratch or something then attempt to duplicate the process. it is how the early wizards learned..

Marik snorted. That was not his intentions. He had a very specific item and a very specific ability in mining.

Snape sighed as Marik finally left. He just knew that boy was going to somehow find a way to blow the school apart. He really needed to take up drinking again, he really did.


	16. Chapter 16

_Last time: Bakura laid down the law on his yami. Also, Yami Bakura and Marik stole Yami's leather pants and_…oh wait, that was from that Little Kuribo parody on Youtube. Anyone else see that? That was fun.

See what happens when you spend too much time on the internet! It is all starting to blend! Go read a real book people!

As soon as you finish reading this of course.

Your author needs some sleep now…

Chapter 16

The First Council of War

After laughing at Kaiba staring down that poor little ninja squirt (honestly, how old was that kid?), Marik happily rushed to the Gryffindor common room. He had an idea but he wanted to talk to Bakura and the others beforehand. He had been inspired by one of the items in Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, the shield hats, gloves and cloaks. Marik also remembered the items that just made you head invisible. Now, he loved the idea of walking around without a head and just causing people to freak out, but he also thought that it would be much more useful for fighting the Dark Lord if they had something that would make all of them invisible. Then Marik remembered the Invisibility cloak that Harry owned…

Well, if it was possible to make shield cloaks and if was possible to make headless hat things…

Marik didn't need an item like that himself. He had the rod. He had the Shadows. He had his monsters. However, he also had friends now, other than Bakura. He liked Harry's group. He liked Jeremy. He didn't want to see any of them hurt. It seemed to him that they needed to get organized, like his Rare Hunters had been. The DA need not die with the fall of Umbridge. In fact, now it was needed more than ever. They needed it to help then fight back against the evil that was encroaching upon them.

Marik turned the corner and found and strange sight. It was that weird puppet boy that had fought with Bakura, just standing there glaring at the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Get lost somewhere?" Marik asked.

"No." Kankuro growled. He had not forgotten what Marik had said the last time he meet him. Also, he had slept badly last night. The cold was to blame, and well as the fact that he kept waking up expecting to feel sand crawling up his legs.

Marik decided it was not worth it talking to this guy. Talk about moody!

Marik walked up to the Fat Lady, who glared at him. "Not you again!" She grumbled.

"You gonna let me in this time?"

"Password?"

"You know I don't have it."

"Then you can't come in, Slytherin." The Fat Lady sniffed.

"Alright then." Marik shrugged and then started to pound on the wall above the Fat Lady. "HEY! YUGI! HARRY! TOMB ROBBER! LEMMIE IN!"

Kankuro stared at Marik. "You are insane."

Marik grinned. "Yep, I know. By the way, you might want to rescue your little raccoon eyed buddy. He's pissing Kaiba off."

"He's what?"

"He's having a stare down with Seto Kaiba. You know, head of Kaiba corporation. Second best duelist. All around douche bag."

The portrait opened and Ron stuck his head out "You rang, Marik?" he grumbled.

"Hi Ron!" Marik climbed into the portrait. Ron glanced Kankuro, decided it was to early in the morning for a life and death struggle, and slammed the portrait back down.

Kankuro, on the other hand, was having a dilemma. Should he go rescue this Kaiba guy from his brother, or stay here and keep his blood where it belonged? He decided that if Gaara was going to kill someone that someone would be dead by now, and there was nothing that he could do about it. So he just sat there and waited for Harry.

* * *

Meanwhile, Marik was striding through the Gryffindor common room with the attitude of one who owned the place. The Gryffindors from last year were used to this by now, and basically ignored Marik. A few from the D.A. actually greeted the Slytherin boy. He was well known in their House by now, and most agreed that he was a good guy, and the first really good Slytherin that had come from that House.

"Hey, Hermione, can I have a word with you and the others?" Marik asked Hermione, who was in the common room giving a summer paper on last go over.

"Oh, sure Marik." She said. "Meet you in Bakura and Yugi's room?"

"Cool, can you get Harry, Ron?" Marik asked.

Ron narrowed his eyes at Marik "You are up to something, aren't you?"

Marik grinned "When am I not?"

As he went up the stairs, Marik heard someone grumbling "That little Slytherin pig thinks he's so hot..." the rest was drowned out by muttering.

Marik frowned, remembering the little plotters from last night. Yes, the D.A. should not be allowed to die!

"Hey guys, how's it going?" Marik slid into Yugi and Bakura's room with a grin.

"Oh, hi Marik." Yugi nodded at Marik.

"Something up, Marik?" Harry, Ron and Hermione opened the door.

"Yeah, I got some ideas. Number one, when is the next D.A. meeting?" Marik got right to the point.

Hermione shrugged. "Well, Umbridge is gone, I thought that we would nto need it any more."

Marik shook his head. "With Moldywart on the loose?" he asked.

Harry's mouth twitched. "Moldywart…"

"Hey, if you are going to stare into the abyss, just laugh at it." Marik grinned. He had a good deal of experience with staring into abysses.

"Part of the whole point of the D.A. was to get us ready for O.." Ron said thoughtfully. "But, it was also to help us learn how to fight You-Know-Who. Umbridge may be gone, but You-Know-Who is not."

Hermione nodded "You may have a point there. We probably should meet with the D.A. to keep in practice. At a time like this more defense training could not hut."

"Not defense training." Yami Bakura appeared beside his vessel, this time somewhat corporal so that he could be seen. "We need battle training. We need you kids to learn how to fight."

"But-"Hermione stared.

"Look, Granger, we can't tiptoe around the bushes here. We are in the middle of a war. Voldemort is recruiting people from this school. From what Harry has said Malfoy is probably a Death Eater already, or at the very least on that path. And just last night he was recruiting pure bloods to his cause. Not just Slytherin this time, but pure bloods from the other Houses as well. Voldemort is not going to stop and wait for you to get to his level. A man like him will slaughter hundreds of kids if he thinks they are in his way. If we are going to fight him we need to get serious. You need to learn how to fight."

Harry gave Yami Bakura a searching look. "That is the real reason that Azzeraell is here, isn't it, Tomb Robber?"

"It's part of the reason. He really does want your wizards to know about the Elder Breed." Yami Bakura said.

"Why? He hates us. Why does he care?" Ron asked.

Yami Bakura sighed. "That is personal, Ron."

"Guys, there is something else." Marik said. "I think that training is not enough. We need to arm ourselves as well. I was thinking about what Fred…or was it George, anywho, one of em mentioned something about the Ministry equipping their guys with those shield hats and things. I think we need to get some of those for the D.A. They could be useful if we get attacked at some point."

Harry nodded.

"And, lastly, I think we need to start making our own things. So far we have just used stuff we have found, like your Invisibility cloak, Harry. We need to start making things to help us fight. Kaiba made those chips so that machines can work in magical areas. That is a good start, but we have to start actively working with Kaiba to get more ideas and stuff. Moldywart has all those Dark techniques and items on his side, plus Zork and the power of Shadow. We need to get our men better equipped as well as better trained. The first thought I had was to duplicate your cloak. Invisibility could be useful."

"Only one problem, Marik." Said Hermione "At least with Harry's cloak. We don't know how it was made. As far as I know that cloak is the only that can make one totally invisible, most cloaks are not as good as it. But since we have no idea who made it or how it was made it's impossible for us to duplicate."

"But I do have something we can duplicate!" Harry's eyes had lit up. "Wait a moment."

Harry ran out and then returned a few moments later with a piece of parchment. He tapped his wand on it and said "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." The duelists' eyes goggled as the Marauder's Map revealed its secrets to them.

"Wow, what I could do with an item like that." Yami Bakura's eyes gleamed.

"Yeah, if we can duplicate this map and give it out to trusted D.A. members…" Harry was grinning. "And, we have one of them makers on call! Professor Lupin!"

"We had better get together with Kaiba." Yugi said. "He will know how to do more."

"True, I don't like the little stuck up Priest, but he does had his uses." Yami Bakura muttered.

"Speaking of annoying stuck up people with uses, what about those ninja. Isn't that puppet guy going to be trailing you, Harry?" The normal Bakura asked.

"You don't trust them?" Harry asked. "I don't either, but since they were recommended by your elf."

"Stop calling him my elf. I don't have my freaking brand on the man." Yami Bakura grouched. "And I do trust him, but I don't trust them."

His other hald nodded. "Now, I am not as…forceful as my Yami, but I have to agree that they should nto be trusted."

"Why not?" Yugi asked.

"yugi, they are mercenaries." Bakrua said. "I have never encountered a mercenary before, but from what I have heard aren't they basically motivated by money?"

His Yami nodded. "I remember working with mercs when I was the Thief King. There were good ones and bad ones. The good ones were the kind that kept their contracts and stuck to their words, the bad ones would basically play both sides of the war. I have no idea what kind these ninja are. I will have to observe them, just to make sure they don't decide to run off when things get to hot."

The Pharaoh formed behind Yugi and glowered at Yami Bakura. "You are not exactly in a position to judge, Tomb Robber. You already have gotten into a fight with these guys. Are you sure you can judge them fairly?"

The real Bakura shook his head. "He can't." He ignored his Yami's growl. "But you, Yugi. You can. I trust your judgment and the judgment of the Pharaoh."

"I hate to admit this, especially in front of all of you." The ancient thief growled. "But I am not that good a judge of character. I hate that puppet wielding jerk, but if you agree to work with the man, then I will…accept his presence."

"With all the good grace and kindness we have come to expect from you, right Yami?" Bakura grinned at his other half.

"Oh stuff it." Yami Bakura said.

"Okay, so it is all settled then." Harry said. "Hermione, let's see if we can get Dumbledore to approve the D.A as an official school…club I guess." Harry shrugged. "First club I ever heard off that is designed for war, but whatever. Marik, see if you can pin Kaiba down and get him brainstorming. And Yugi will get to know the ninja and see how they will fit in to all of this."

"Wow, you are finally taking control of your life." Yami Bakura grinned. "Nice to see you taking charge instead of having Dumbledore jerk you around all the time!"

"He's still the greatest wizard of all time, Yami Bakura." Harry glared at the spirit. "Show a little respect."

"I will be sure to do that, when he earns it." Yami Bakura retorted.

"Okay, so." Marik grinned. "I officially declare this meeting closed! Now, I believe we have a breakfast to get to!"

Ron laughed. "I'll vote for that!" He started to walk to the door.

The others followed, the two yamis returning to their host bodies. Yami Bakura, just as he promised, let the normal Bakura take control. Of course, later he would want the body. He liked life and wanted to still experience some of it, but now the partnership was more an actual partnership.

/This feels good, boy./ The yami said. /It feels like an actual army. More like a fighting force. Now that we have gotten Harry to get off his rear and acting like a real Chosen One…/

/Yami, do you really think he is some sort of Chosen One?/

/No, I share many of Azzeraell's beliefs in fate. I do not by it. But, it is not a bad idea if both your enemies and your followers think you are destined for great things. It inspires people and lets them have something to look up to, and it strikes fear into your opponents. I have no problem with letting the masses think Harry was chosen by a greater power./

/You know, sometimes you can be a manipulative little parasite./ Bakura said.

/I know./

But still, the yami had a point. Who cared if there was a power watching over them? The point was that Harry was taking charge. Becoming more a hero. Actively helping the cause. Bakura did not know about fate, but he did know charisma, and he knew that if Harry worked at it then he could be a good leader.

Now things would be getting even more interesting.


	17. Chapter 17

An Author's Note: _Last time Marik started the resistance in earnest, and Harry began to step to the plate._

Also, one reason I have not done too much Hagrid in my fics is simple. I have really big problems with his accent. I am as culturally as far away from Britain as I can be and still speak English, and I have never really heard a person speak like him, much less write his accent. I am not sure I can duplicate it, but I am going to try. If it comes off weird, well you know the reason.

I do not own any ripped dialogue from Snape. That is all J.K. Rowling, who is awesome.

Chapter 17

Snape Vs. Kankuro

"I am not sure I like the fact that he is up there just staring at me." Harry said as he loaded his breakfast plate with bacon, eggs and fried potato products. "It's unnerving."

"Look on the bright side; at least he is not down here with us." Ron said as he speared a sausage.

They were talking about Kankuro, who had decided that he was not going to mingle with the students. Instead he had walked up the wall to the ceiling (startling just about everyone by the fact the he had just kind of strode up there with no spellcasting or words that they could see), and was now just kind of hanging upside-down on the roof like an annoyed bat. It made Harry nervous. He didn't like people staring at him. The fact that the staring was happening from above was even worse.

Harry grumbled as he munched his food. Now that he was taking N.E.W.T classes he and Ron had a nice large gap between now, an off period, and his first class. He knew the class was going to be bad. It was Defense Against the Dark Arts.

With Snape.

He did not know how bad the class was going to be. Under normal circumstances Snape would just sneer and insult him and make him feel like an idiot. However, they had added a new element to the mix. Kankuro. Harry did not like the ninja that much, but he could also tell that Snape did not like Harry's new "bodyguard" either. The fact that Snape kept looking at the roof and sneering was evidence of this. Harry knew his long time enemy's body language, and right now Snape was transmitting hatred Kankuro's direction.

This could go one of two ways. Either Snape would torment Harry more because of the bodyguard, or Snape would try to assert his authority over Kankuro. Harry had seen firsthand how Kankuro reacted to being pushed around. Apparently the ninja would push back. Oh yes, Bakura, Kaiba and Yugi were in the class as well. Marik had failed Potions. Harry had no idea what he was going to do, but Harry had no illusions. Somehow if Bakura got bored he would make trouble. Harry knew it. Even without his partner in crime Bakura was…well he was Bakura.

It would be…interesting.

Either way Harry knew he was going to need those free periods, just to keep himself sane.

* * *

Marik had a bit of time before he had to go to his remedial classes. He had only two N.E.W.T level classes which were Care of Magical Creatures and Muggle Studies. If worse came to worse he could always get a job in a wizard zoo. It would not surprise him to find normal people in a wizard zoo…at least in one ran by Voldemort.

But now, while he had a bit of time, he was going to grab Kaiba. It was time they talked.

He turned a corner to the dungeon and almost bellowed in laughter. Kaiba was still glaring at that ninja boy. Their poses were almost identical: arms folded spines stiff and mouths set in angry frowns.

Marik pulled out his wand and shot some sparks between them. Gaara started and his sand shifted towards Marik, who ignored it. He was not afraid of soil.

Kaiba, on the other hand, turned the laser look at Marik. "What are you doing?"

"Hi, Kaiba. Can we talk?" Marik did not wait for Kaiba to reply; he just grabbed the irritated duel's wrist and dragged him back to the Slytherin common room. Kaiba growled and ripped his arm away, but followed.

Gaara blinked as they walked away.

"Odd." He muttered. He was used to people being afraid of him, but Marik had acted like he did not care that Gaara could have killed him right then and there.

Very odd.

* * *

Bakura looked around him. He had also chosen the N.E.W.T level Care of Magical Creatures class. In fact all the duelists were here.

Only the duelists.

"I suppose we are the only ones not afraid of the animals." Kaiba said with a snort. "Cowards."

"I don't know. I can see how they might be intimidated by the claws and the teeth." Yugi shrugged. He was not intimidated by claws and teeth. "We've had contact with Shadow Beasts. Normal magical creatures are tame by comparison."

Hagrid burst out of his cabin, a huge grin on his face. Said grin faded a bit when he saw that his favorite students, Harry, Ron and Hermione, were not there.

"Where is the rest of the class?" He asked.

Yugi shifted uncomfortably. "I think we are it."

Hagrid looked like someone had just killed a puppy in his presence for a brief second, then he straightened up and squared his shoulders. "Righ'." He said. His eyes fell on Robot, who was perched on Bakura's shoulder. He had found a nice mouse and was swallowing it whole. Bakura had basically learned that this was normal dragon behavior, and as long as Robot did not dribble blood on his cloaks he was fine with his dietary habits.

"Mind if I borrow yeh dragon, Bakura?" Hagrid asked.

Bakura looked at his dragon. "Well?" He asked.

Robot finished swallowing his mouse and trilled. The dragon flapped his wings and fluttered over to Hagrid, who let him perch on his huge arm. Hagird's face was full of admiration and longing. He wanted a dragon for himself, even a little on like this, but he was not going to try and separate a dragon from his "mommy". Robot was Bakura's dragon, but that did not mean Hagrid did not admire the creature.

He just wished he had found one of those little eggs for himself. Surly a mini dragon would not have been trouble? Look at how well Robot had adjusted!

"Righ'. We are going ter start wit' dragons this year." Kaiba's eyes lit up when Hagrid said this. He still loved dragons, and the thought of real dragons in the world made him very happy.

"Now," Hagrid continued "the wings of yer average dragon are all very similar with minor differences. Yer basic dragon wing-"

Robot knew he was getting to become the center of attention, and started to pose and preen himself. Soon enough Hagrid had forgotten this disappointment of his N.E.W.T class being so small, and was immersed in his favorite subject.

* * *

"Hagrid is very upset with you, I'll have you know." Bakura said scathingly as he approached Harry. They were waiting for Snape to open the door for the DADA lesson.

Harry winched. "I know. Wait, how do you know? You aren't Hagrid's friend…"

"Class." Bakura grinned.

"You are taking Care of Magical Creatures again?" Ron asked. Then he lowered his voice. "Are you mad? I like Hagrid, yes, but that does not mean I want to lose an arm to one of his monsters!"

Bakura chuckled. He was carefully ignoring Kankuro, who was returning the favor. In fact the ninja was leaning against a far wall, eyes closed and arms folded. Harry found, after being trailed by Kankuro for the entire morning, that he always seemed to be walking with one or both eyes closed or at least squinting. Harry had no idea why. He thought it was a rather silly thing to do. The fact that Kankuro never seemed to collide with anything irked Harry somewhat.

Snape opened the door and glowered at the group before him, special glares were given to Harry, Bakura and Kankuro.

"Get in." he growled. The students slunk into the room. None of them knew what to expect after Umbridge. The only ones that walked with any kind of confidence was Hermione, who felt like she was smart enough to take whatever question Snape through at them, Kaiba, Bakura and Malfoy (who knew that Snape would give him an easy ride). Kankuro also walked in without fear, but then again he was not a student and had no intention of acting like one. Snape sneered at the ninja, but said nothing.

Snape began to lecture the group about the Dark Arts. While it did not look like Kankuro was paying the least bit of attention (he was lounging in a corner with the air of someone immensely bored) he was actually watching Snape with great interest. The fact was that he had long ago learned to observe his surroundings without having to actually use his eyes. He spent a lot of his time under the wrappings that supposedly housed his puppet, while the puppet itself pretended to be him. Now he was not doing this at the moment, but he kept up practice by keeping his eyes closed at every opportunity.

Kankuro listened as Snape talked about how the Dark Arts were like a many headed monster and that to fight them you needed to be as flexible. He had no idea why these people needed to be told this; he had been told things like this little speech since he was five. The only things different was this talk of "Dark Arts". Whatever those were.

"…you are, I believe, complete novices in the use of nonverbal spells." Kankuro actually opened his eyes and looked at Snape now. Did he hear that right? If spells were like jutsu…the only person he knew that could accomplish jutsu nonverbally was Gaara, and even he had to gesture and shout an attack name to perform his more complicated maneuvers. He had never even heard of someone who could perform an attack without saying a word.

Snape noticed that Kankuro was looking at him, and anger filled him. That he had to sit here being watched by the smug little brat…

Snape was going to fix his wagon. Right here and now.

"You, ninja." Snape snapped at Kankuro, who gave him a baleful look. It was a look he normally reserved for Baki. Snape's attitude reminded Kankuro of his own trainer, just a bit. Baki was not as…antagonistic, he could not be as he had been teaching the children of his village's leader, but there was a similar air of unyielding strictness. "What is the advantage of a nonverbal spell?"

Hermione practically bristled. How unfair! Kankuro had probably couldn't even read modern Earth Japanese, if what she had been told about his people leaving the Earth so long ago. If you split a culture and enough time passed then words and phrases written language would be different. Kankuro might be perfectly competent in his own language, but from what Bakura and Yugi had said their language had sounded about as similar to modern Japanese as English did to Old English. To ask Kankuro to give an answer from a text that he could not even read, much less understand.

But Kankuro had his own way of dealing with this kind of situation. Baki had long ago earned Kankuro's respect (this had involved quite a lot of struggle on Baki's side, because even though he could not kill as quickly as his brother Kankuro was still just as stubborn), but this wizard…what reason did Kankuro have to respect him?

Kankuro prefer to use his puppet as a tool…but that did not mean he did not have others. All the wizards saw was a blur of motion and all of sudden three dagger like weapons were imbedded point blank into the rather gruesome paintings that Snape had hanged around the room depicting several ways the Dark Arts can kill you.

"I would guess for the same reason we ninja use kunai." Kankuro said with a smirk. "Because if I want to kill silently it does no good if I am bellowing something and alerting my victim. Although it makes no sense to me to waste chakra when a blade works just as well. What's the matter, wizard? Are you so stupid you can't use a weapon?"

Snape looked like he was going to blast Kankuro to oblivion, but at that moment Bakura walked over to the kunai and grabbed them. He chuckled.

"Hey! Stupid ninja!" He flicked his wrist and the kunai flew back at Kankuro, who jumped out of the way of the projectiles. "The balance is off on those little garden trowels! What's the matter? Can't take care of your equipment?"

Kankuro grabbed his weapons, and to his shame he found that Bakura was right. The kunai were out of balance, but the fact was that he rarely bothered to check the weapons he thought of as last resort.

Snape, meanwhile, was fuming.

"You!" he snapped at the smirking Bakura. "Sit down." Bakura complied, still smirking at Kankuro. The yami wanted to see Snape chew the man out, and the real Bakura could not help but agree. Kankuro was too much like his yami for him to like that much at all, and he did not trust him. It had actually been the real Bakura who had thrown the kunai, but it had been the yami's quip. Bakura had not objected to is, as it was a very good point. True as well.

Snape turned his attention at Kankuro. "If you are incapable of using nonverbal spells then that is not a shortcoming of my people but of your own. It is not my problem if you have to resort to gardening tools to get a job done." He turned from Kankuro without a word and returned to his students. "Nonverbal spells are useful because you can use them without your opponent knowing what is going to happen. And you can do much more with magic then you can with a little knife. You will now pair up into groups and practice jinxing and counter-jinxing. You will be silent."

Fro the rest of the period Snape glowered at everyone as they struggled to learn this difficult magic. Most of his glowering, however, was aimed at Kankuro. The ninja was glaring straight back at him.

Fortunately, for Harry, this meant that Snape did not say a word to him all lesson, as Snape was too busy glaring at Kankuro to care about Harry.

Harry was more than happy to watch the power play between Snape and Kankuro. He wanted to get a feel of Kankuro, and what better way than to watch how he interacted with his most hated enemy.

It would be very very telling.


	18. Chapter 18

An Author's Note_: Last Chapter: Snape clashed with Kankuro over the merits of nonverbal spellcasting and using a weapon, and Snape and Bakura ended up verbally ganging up on Kankuro…_

Chapter 18

Gaara Makes a Friend

Kaiba, who had spent the entire lesson in the back of the room watching the fun, could not help but be amused by the interplay between Kankuro, Snape and Bakura. He had never been impressed with Bakura. In Kaiba's opinion the man was completely insane. Kaiba was not completely convinced that the so called evil spirit was not just a consequence of psychosis, and that Bakura was not simply a man with multiple personalities who had accomplished the feat of actually communicating with and working with his own alternate personality. Kaiba was not going to buy the spirit thing, not yet. Yes the Duel Monster cards came from Egypt. Yes there did seem to be an Ancient evil power attached to them. That did not mean that Bakura was a thief, Yugi was a pharaoh and that he was a priest. No, he was going to need more evidence. After all, the power of the items could have just tapped into Bakura's insanity and giving it a semi-physical form. Yes Bakura was a decent duelist, not as bad as Joey but not as good as good as Yugi, much less as good as Kaiba.

But, in the case of Kankuro, Kaiba found himself on Bakura's side. Sure Bakura was a mediocre duelist, but he had his uses. Kankuro seemed to have no redeeming qualities from what Kaiba could see. Kankuro was like Bakura 2.0, only not insane. That made him worse. Bakura could not help it if he was insane, but Kankuro (as far as Kaiba knew) was not and so he had no excuse for being an arrogant and intolerable ass.

Kaiba conveniently forgot that he himself could also be described as such.

After watching Bakura and Snape take the annoying little puppet brat down a peg or two, Kaiba focused on his new victim. He found himself with Yugi; a nice opportunity to take their rivalry further. Kaiba would never admit it, especially to Yugi himself, but he did love the confrontations between himself and Yugi. At first it had just been about obtaining the brat's Blue Eyes, then it had been about saving Mokuba, but sometime around Battle City Kaiba began to relish their duels, if only because Yugi was the only person in the world who had beaten him. He would never admit it, but the rivalry with Yugi was indeed the closest thing that Kaiba had to a real friendship, and he found himself enjoying it inside, nice and deep inside where no one could see it.

Except maybe Yugi himself.

Yugi grinned up at him, and Kaiba glared at the little duelist. Yugi was probably the only human being who ever grinned like that when Kaiba glared. It was annoying. Kaiba could see the change, though. Yugi seemed to grow taller, but Kaiba knew that was only because he was standing straighter. Yugi's hair appeared to stand on end, but that was just an optical illusion brought on by the different angle. Yugi was focused now, and that was why his face and eyes appeared sharper.

Kaiba thought of stunning charms. He thought of the sensation of it and how it felt to the release the power inside him to stun another. He imagined that he was holding his wand. In his mind he saw himself making that distinct motion. He even imagined himself speaking the words. Then he kind of mentally pushed.

A red flash shot towards Yugi, and then dissipated on the shield that he had somehow managed to put up nonverbally.

Yugi smirked and Kaiba scowled.

"Well done, Kaiba, ten points to Slytherin." Snape said mildly.

Ron puffed himself up, rather like an angry bullfrog. Kaiba knew that the boy was going to say something about Snape's bias. The idiots never learned. Snape could see it to, and the little smirk on his face was evidence that he wanted the Gryffindors to rise to the bait.

However…

"What, does he win the stuffed bear?" Kankuro snarled before Harry or Ron or Hermione could object to Snape's usual behavior. As Snape turned his look at Kankuro the three Gryffindors looked at each other.

"Maybe having him around won't be so bad, mate." Ron muttered to Harry. "He is like a Snape lightning rod."

* * *

After the lesson only Kaiba, Yugi and Bakura had gotten the basics of nonverbal spells. The others had come from the lesson grumbling and frustrated.

After that the groups split up. The Gryffindors went to their next class, while Kaiba went to get to work on Marik's surprisingly intelligent suggestion. He would need several things to make the items work; a few GPS devices, a few more "magical binary equations" that Kaiba had discovered last year that he used to make electronic devices work in school, and some time.

He was so busy mentally going through the process he almost collided with someone. That someone managed to dodge in time with surprising agility. Kaiba focused his glare on the person. He recognized the woman. It was the sister of those two idiot "ninja" brothers. What was her name again? Ah well who cared. She was not a duelist and if her brothers were any indication she was probably an idiot besides. Male or female Kaiba did not care. He believed in equality, not chivalry.

"Watch where you are going you idiot!" Kaiba snarled.

Temari's reaction was immediate. She glared right back at Kaiba and for some reason Kaiba felt like he had seen a glare like that before, he just could not remember where. It was not a resemblance to her small raccoon eyed freak of a brother, because they didn't really look that much alike. There was just something about her stance and the way she glared. It was familiar, somehow.

"You watch yourself, kid. You are the one with his head in the clouds." Temari said.

Kaiba snorted. "Just stay away from me; I have had enough of your crazy family. First your pet raccoon glares at me and then your other idiot brother makes an idiot of himself in class. You people annoy me." He rudely shoved past her.

The only warning that Kaiba got was the sudden rush of wind. Wind did not happen here underneath the school in the dungeons. Kaiba turned in surprise just in time to see something whoosh past him. The wind circled around him, kicking up a small dust twister. He held up his arm and covered his eyes. The wind abruptly stopped and Kaiba found that he was staring at a rather large folded up fan that was now inches from his nose.

"Like I said, watch yourself." It was not exactly a threat, but it was close. The wind kicked up again and Temari vanished.

Kaiba snorted in irritation. He did not like to find himself at a disadvantage. It looked like these ninja were not all just talk. Perhaps he should look into practicing that Shadow Magic. With these ninja's abilities it would be a good idea.

* * *

More often than not, ever since they were young, Temari had found herself acting as a kind of referee. It was inevitable, as she was the only one in her "team" that had some semblance of self control. Gaara was calm most of the time, but he was prone to rages and when he raged he almost always killed something. Then there was Kankuro, who seemed to push all of Gaara's buttons, and in fact Gaara pushed Kankuro's buttons as well. Temari could not count the times she had to intervene and keep the two from killing one another…okay to keep Gaara from killing Kankuro. That time in the Forest of Death had not been the first close call, and it would probably not be the last.

And now not even a single day had passed, and the two of them were already getting into trouble. She would start by tracking down Gaara to see what had happened to make that blue eyed moron so testy. She doubted that Gaara had killed something; the reaction had not been one that coincided with homicide. By now Temari was familiar with those.

It was fairly easy to find Gaara, due to his unique chakra signature. Always a bit of a standout, the thing was now positively a "look here" spotlight. The feel of the "magic" of this castle was so odd and almost subdued and much more subtle then their own powers, so much so that Temari could sense both of her brothers easily.

When she finally found Gaara he was sitting outside the front gates, watching the forest like a hawk. To Temari's immense surprise a rather large ginger Persian cat with a bottle-brush tail and bandy legs was rubbing up against him and purring loudly.

"What is that?" She asked. The cat (Crookshanks) turned to her and purred loudly.

Gaara shrugged. "Cat." He said. He turned to the forest again. "There is something out there." He said flatly.

"Really?" Temari looked at the forest and concentrated. Gaara was right; she could feel something out there. It was odd. Not human chakra, not the strange "magic" that permeated the castle, and not the odd tailed beast chakra that she could occasionally sense from Gaara whenever the demon woke up. It was something else.

"I don't like it." Gaara said flatly.

"Neither do I." Temari said. "Wait here, I am going to have a talk with one of the teachers. See if they might have an idea of what is out there." She turned her head as she spotted Harry and his little entourage, along with Kankuro (who looked pretty pissed from what she could see). "Gaara, go and help your brother. No fighting."

Gaara nodded. Temari hoped that he had been honest about changing. He had said he was going to change. Temari wanted to give him that chance. She knew that Kankuro was still mildly traumatized by Gaara, and so it was up to her to try.

To Temari's relief Gaara did as he was told and did nto seem at all irritated. That was good.

Now to find a teacher.

* * *

Yugi was a bit shocked when the small dust cloud appeared beside them and morphed into the smallest of the ninja, the one called Gaara. Kankuro jumped a mile, and Yugi did not miss the fact that this caused their resident nutcase to snicker.

"What are you doing?" Kankuro hissed at his brother.

Gaara pointed at the forest. "There is something there. Can't you sense it?"

Kankuro looked at forest and seemed to concentrate for a split second. "Huh, what is that?"

"What is what?" Hermione asked.

"There is something odd out there." Gaara said flatly.

"Odd as in not human." Kankuro growled.

"There are a lot of none human things out there." Ron said dismissively. "Unicorns, thestral, werewolves, centaur."

"Wait, there are monsters out there? Why in the world would you people put a school next to a forest of monsters? Are you trying to get yourselves killed?" Kankuro asked.

"They are not monsters, you insensitive racist freak." Bakura said, coming to the aid of Elder Breed everywhere.

"What did you say to me!" Kankuro bellowed and turned to fight.

"Stop it." Gaara snapped. "They are coming." All of a sudden Yugi could hear it, the pounding of hooves.

"Oh no." Harry said. "I recognize it. It's-"

The centaur rushed out of the forest, and as one fired a hail of arrows at the group. However, their efforts were instantly blocked by a wall of sand that leapt from Gaara's gourd like Jack out of a box. Then, the sand rushed towards the attacking centaur in a deadly wave.

"NO! Stop!" Bakura bellowed and jumped in the path of the sand. Gaara just barely pulled it away in time. "What are you doing?" This was directed at the centaur.

The lead centaur stared at Bakura and said "It must end." He pointed an arrow and fired it straight at the duelist. Bakura had a nice shield card ready, but in the end he did not have the chance to use it. More sand swirled and blocked the arrow, and this time Gaara did not bother to listen to Bakura. He saw a clear threat, and therefore he acted. The sand shot forwards and coiled around the centaur's throats. Much faster then he used to, trying to be mercifully in his own way, Gaara lifted his hands and closed his palms. The sand responded and crushed the centaur's wind pipes in an instant.

Bakura gave Gaara a furious look. "Nice going. Way to reverse all my hard work, jackass. How am I supposed to get them on our side now?" Bakura stomped away, muttering angrily.

"We weren't exactly making good headway with them anyway." Hermoine said sadly. "But really, that was horrible!"

"You must have missed the part where they were trying to kill us." Kankuro said. A part of his mind was mildly shocked at the idea that he was going to his brother's defense, but it was true. The wizards were all giving his brother the usual horrified looks that happened whenever Gaara killed people. However in this case it had not at all been his usual rampage. In fact, Kankuro himself would have done the exact same thing.

"It was way out of line!" Hermione objected. "You can't just go around killing people like that! It's wrong!"

Kankuro spat "You sheltered little brat. No wonder you need us here. It's a miracle your entire society is not dead right now! How about this? Stay out of our way. We are the fighters her, not you."

Gaara was confused now, very confused. He had done his job, his duty, and had followed orders like he was supposed to. But now the wizards appeared to be mad at him. He could not understand why. He had not killed for bloodlust this time, even though a part of him had enjoyed that immensely. He had only stopped a group of attackers from killing the boy they were meant to protect. He had even given them the opportunity to go away. He had let Bakura try to talk to them, and Bakura had failed. But still they were angry at him.

"Hey," Kankuro whispered to him as they continued to guard Harry, despite the looks they were receiving "nice going."

Gaara stared at his brother. That sounded genuine. Usually when Kankuro said that to Gaara he was being sarcastic, but this sounded sincere.

Gaara's confusion lasted all day, and well into the night.

* * *

Yugi could not sleep. He and the Pharaoh could practically feel Gaara's odd magical aura in the common room just lurking. Apparently the three ninja thought that since there had been one attack today they had better make sure that one of them was close to Harry, at least for a while. Since Gaara did not sleep he was elected to say in their common room. By now the entire school knew about the centaur attack. Some were scared of the centaur, but most were afraid of Gaara himself, especially the teachers. They were treating him almost like a ticking time bomb about to explode, and through it all Yugi could practically feel the misery and confusion coming off the kid in waves. The only other people who seemed keyed to it were his fellow duelists. Bakura was really more annoyed then angry at the slaughter. Slaughter was something the dark spirit knew well and he did not shy from it. The real Bakura was also concerned at how the Elder Breed was going to react to this. Marik, on the other hand, was worried about Gaara himself.

"You know it can't feel nice, being treated like that." He said. "That will set anyone over the edge. Why don't you talk to the kid, Yugi? You are good at that."

It was true, and Yugi knew it. And, as soon as everyone was asleep he was going to go talk to Gaara.

Yugi's "friend sense" was tingling.

A few minutes later he got up and started to go down to the common area. He found Gaara in an odd position. Apparently even if their masters disliked the ninja the animals of the Gryffindor House did like Gaara, because they all seemed to be on top of him as he sat in front of the Gryffindor fire. Crookshanks had taken up residence straight on Gaara's lap and was purring in contentment. Yugi's own ferret familiar was on Gaara's shoulder and Robot was perched proudly on top of Gaara's head. Occasionally the dragon would lean his head down and hiss at Gaara in a friendly manner. Gaara would just blink at him. Yugi had the feeling that the only reason Gaara did not have an owl or two around him was because the owls were in the school rookery.

"Hello." Yugi said.

"Aren't you supposed to be asleep?" Gaara asked.

"Yeah, I guess." Yugi said as he sat in the chair opposite Gaara. "Are you alright after what happened today?"

"I am unhurt." Gaara said stiffly.

"Err, that is not what I mean. I mean are you alright. How are you feeling? Do you need someone to talk to?" Yugi asked.

Gaara glared at him. "Why do you care?"

"I care. I want to help you if I can. Even just talking about what is bothering you can help."

"You have no idea what I am like." Gaara said dismissively. How could this short kid know anything? _He_ did not have a demon!

"How do you know I can't help? You have not even tried." Yugi said.

Gaara found himself getting angry. He was close, very close to losing control. He had to concentrate to reign himself in.

"You do not want to know." Gaara turned away from Yugi.

Yugi got up and stood right in front of Gaara and folded his arms. They were about the same size, but since Yugi was standing he was now taller than Gaara "I am not going to leave until you talk. You need help. I can tell these things."

Gaara was now pretty angry. "You have no idea. You really want to know? Before I was born my father inserted a demon called the One Tailed Shukaku in my body. For twelve years it has lashed out at everyone around it. Killing much like you saw today. My entire village thinks I am a monster and for years they have tried to get rid of me almost every single day. The only person who even tried to love me died trying to kill me. How could you possibly know what this is like? Not even my own brother and sister trust me. I am trying to change but they will not even give me the chance." Gaara turned away from Yugi again.

Yugi was silent for a moment, and then he spoke. "Every day since I first walked into my old high school people would hit me, tease me and made me feel worthless. The worst were Joey and Tristan. They always picked on me and pretended that they were trying to make me a man. Then one day they took a piece from my puzzle, this one that is hanging on my neck right now, before it could be solved and threw it away. Then another bully attacked Joey and Tristian and tried to get me to hurt them. I refused, and after that Joey and Tristan were my friends. Joey is the best friend I ever had, and one time he hurt me."

"Is there a point to this?" Gaara said shortly.

"Yes. This is going to be there corniest thing you have heard in your life, but it true. If you have friends, real friends, then you will always have someone you can trust. Even if they don't go through the same things you do, even if they are not like you in the least they still can help."

Gaara sighed "Now you sound like Naruto."

"Who is Naruto?"

"A ninja from a rival village, the Leaf Village. A few months ago my siblings and I were part of an invasion force. We infiltrated the Leaf Village under the pretense of taking an exam called the Chunin Exams, which is how a young ninja goes from the rank of genin, the lowest, to a chunin, a journeyman ninja. When I first met Naruto and his team I barely looked at Naruto. I was too busy focusing on his teammate Sasuke, who seemed more powerful than Naruto. What I did not know was that Naruto is like me. He also had a demon inside of him, the Nine-Tailed Fox. Naruto seemed so weak to me, with his babble about friendship and teammates that I thought him weaker then me. But he beat me. When I asked him why he said it was because he was defending his friends. I don't understand what he meant, and I am been trying to find out what he meant…but…I cannot be a friend to anybody."

"That is no true."

"I have killed people."

"So have I."

"…what?"

"I killed a man who threatened my friend Tea. I made him light himself on fire. He was pouring a glass of vodka and I dropped a lighter on his hand. Marik has killed people. Bakura has killed people. Kaiba has killed people. Kaiba tried to kill my grandfather but he is my friend now, even if he will not admit it. Bakura and Marik nearly destroyed me and my other friends not a year ago, but there is no one I would rather have on my side in a fight. You see, Gaara, sometimes people do bad things, things they regret later. But if you try hard enough, if you make the effort and never give up then you can change. Some people will not believe it at first, but if you prove that you have changed through your actions as well as with your words then they will come around. It takes time, but it can happen. You just need time to show them that you have changed."

"I am not sure how."

Yugi smiled. "It's okay, you are new at this. I can help, like I said before. If you have any questions about friendship then I can answer them. If you need someone to talk to I will listen. And, even though it is not my place to say, if you talk to Marik about the whole father thing he can help you."

"How?"

"Let's just say you have more in common with him then you think. Talk to Marik, and come talk to me whenever you need to."

"…what if you have an evil voice in your head telling you to kill everyone?"

Yugi did not even blink "Then you talk to Bakura. It is up to him to tell you what he has gone through. I don't give up my friends secrets, but trust me, he can help."

Gaara stared at Yugi. At first glance Yugi was nothing like Naruto. Naruto was loud and bouncy and frankly a little dim. Yugi was calm, gentle and had a strange inner wisdom that Gaara could sense. But the things that Yugi had said were similar to what Naruto had said.

Maybe this was not such a bad idea after all.

Maybe now he finally had a friend.

* * *

A/N: And here is a blooper for you guys: _"It was way out of lime!" Hermione objected._

I thought it was funny.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The Diary of Slytherin

Yugi tried to ignore the glares he was receiving from Bakura and Marik. The two of them were looking at him like they wanted to kill him. Yugi had a feeling he knew why they were upset, but he was busy eating his bacon and didn't want to focus on the irritated former villains.

"Pharaoh, why the hell did you set that little twerp on us?" Bakura, Yugi guessed it was the spirit, he didn't think the normal Bakura said the words "hell" and "twerp", but then again it was getting a little hard to tell.

"I didn't set anyone on you." Yugi said at his bacon.

"Three days, Shorty, three days of being pestered by a raccoon eyed, sand loving, emotionless android of a kid, asking me about evil voices." Bakura said. "I thought I told you once before, I don't like you contributing to the impression that I'm insane!"

"Even though you totally are insane." Ron pointed out.

"Shut up." Bakura retorted.

"Look, he needs help and I was there." Yugi said as he continued to focus on the bacon. "Besides, Marik told me to help out."

"I didn't tell you to get him to focus on us! You're the resident friendship cheerleader!"

Yugi shook his head "Hey, it does work. One would think you guys don't believe in the H-"

"If you say that damn phrase I'm going to shoot you." Bakura gritted his teeth. "And just because we might, might believe in something doesn't mean we have to go advertising it like door to door salesman."

"I think I know what the problem is, we left you to long with the friendship crew." Marik grumbled. "I knew that was a bad idea!"

"Oh come on, they're not all that bad." Yugi said with a grin. "Speaking of friends, look whose coming!"

Bakura let out a string of interesting curses as he spotted Gaara walking towards him. "Oh go away! Please go away! Go play in a sandbox! Go throw that stuff in the eyes of sleeping children! Go to the beach! Just leave me alone!" Bakura got up and ran off across the Great Hall, Marik close on his heels.

Gaara, blinking in confusion, looked at Yugi, who winked at him and jerked his head to the fleeing nutcases, encouraging the ninja to follow.

Hermione glared at Yugi. "You're doing this to them on purpose, aren't you?"

Yugi nodded "I finally found something that drives them crazy! I'm not going to give it up that easily!"

Harry shook his head "So you are doing all of that just to annoy them?"

"Well, not totally. I do want to help Gaara, but if it annoys Bakura and Marik at the same time I don't see why I can't enjoy myself." Yugi grinned again as Bakura's wail of frustration reached their ears "Ah, revenge is good sometimes."

Kankuro, who had resumed his position of sticking to Harry like a bad smell, shook his head "You do realize that if Gaara gets to frustrated he's gonna crush you little buddies like a pair of bugs."

Yugi shook his head "No, I believe him when he says he's trying to change. You should too. He's your brother, after all."

Kankuro rolled his eyes to ceiling "You wizards have no survival instincts, at all."

Harry shrugged and pulled out his copy of _Advanced Potion-Making_. Ever since he had found the book, a book that had previously belonged to someone called the Half-Blood Prince; his potions had improved almost tenfold. All he had to do was to ignore Hermione's glares. She seemed to think taking advantage of the book was somehow cheating. He also ignored how Kankuro would peer over his shoulder, trying to decipher it, a feat almost impossible due to the fact that the puppet ninja couldn't read English.

"Harry, must you flaunt that thing right in front of the Great Hall?" Hermione said with disgust.

"I just need to make a few more notes for Slughorn's class." Harry replied.

"Oh, you mean you're notes, or the Prince's?" Hermione said sarcastically.

Kankuro looked from the book to her "For someone who's such a fast learner you're unbelievably closed minded. Hell, if I could read your chicken scratch of an alphabet I'd want a crack at this thing myself."

"It's cheating." Hermione said.

"Knowledge is never cheating." Kankuro said "Just because someone does something better then the official version doesn't make it wrong, it just gives you a better advantage in a fight. You don't think that your enemies are going to play by the rules, do you? Only, I wouldn't bring that out right here either. You don't want people stealing your secrets, right Harry?"

Harry looked at Kankuro, half surprised the normally foul tempered ninja was taking his side. It wasn't so surprising the way Kankuro had reached his conclusion, though. Harry had gathe4red that ninja, especially these ninja, only had thought for what gave them an edge. They were so focused on fighting and how to win fights it was almost scary. But, what he was saying made sense. Bakura and Marik also approved of the book; they seemed to think that any advantage they could take was fair game. Harry might have once sided with Hermione, but with Voldemort on the loose he also started to think that anything that could help him was good. Ignoring both Hermione and Kankuro arguing over the merits of the Prince, Harry finished his notes and put the book away, making sure that nobody like Malfoy or his group saw the book.

Kankuro had a point, giving his enemies his new secret wasn't a good idea.

* * *

"You see the pest anywhere?" Marik hissed.

"Nope, let's go."

He and Bakura darted from shadow to shadow, sometimes even exerting a little Shadow Magic to make doubly sure. They knew that Gaara didn't sleep, and they didn't want to be caught. Tonight was the night they were going to visit the Chamber of Secrets. Last year they had been informed by a small garden snake at Hogwarts. The snake had made a cryptic comment about Gryffindor not being the most accepting of people, and that the Chamber of Secrets held more than one Harry Potter thought it did. They had managed to wriggle the Chamber story out of Harry, and now they were going to check the Chamber themselves.

"Here's the bathroom." Marik said. "Let's go."

The two slipped into the out of order girl's bathroom. They spotted the sink that Harry had described almost at once. Unfortunately they were also spotted themselves.

"You're not Harry." Moaning Myrtle er moaned as she floated towards them. "He used to come here all the time, but I never see him anymore. No one wants to see silly, ugly, Moaning Myrtle!" The ghost blubbered.

"That's not true!" Yami Bakura started to imitate his more innocent light, widening his eyes and looking as kind as possible "I heard that one of the ninja really wants to meet you! He's really shy, though, so he might not act like it, but I keep hearing from him how much he'd love to get more acquainted with you!"

"R-really?" Myrtle sobbed "Who?"

"He's name's Kankuro. He's the one with the dolls and the makeup. Why don't you go talk to him right now?"

Myrtle sobbed, though it might have been from happiness this time, and floated away.

"You're a cruel person." Marik grinned at his friend.

"Hey, any chance I get to torment that brat I'll take!" Bakura said with a wild look.

"Let's see that Chamber now!"

The two of them went over to the sink and looked for the little snake on the tap. Bakura focused on the snake. He had pretty good idea on how to use Parseltongue, something that all of the Shadow Mages could do. He wondered if this ability was because of their association with Ancient Egypt, or if it was natural for all of them. Whatever the reason they could use it, and Bakura actually rather liked it. He held snakes in very high regard.

"Open." Bakura hissed in the snake's language. To his delight it worked. Once the doorway was fully opened the two of them slid into the Chamber.

"We can go back via Shadow Magic, close that thing!" Bakura hissed.

"You just don't want your little buddy to come down here mad at you for siccing a ghost on him." Marik said, but did as he was told.

The two of them entered the Chamber, marveling at the huge structure. Sure it was dark, wet and chilly, but the snake motif really worked for the two of them, and they both liked the dark atmosphere of the place.

"Hey, look, that must be the basilisk!" Bakura said with grin "Jackpot!"

"Huh?" Marik said.

"Basilisk's aren't Elder Breed. They don't talk and they are about as intelligent as an average snake, but they have several great magical properties. Aside from the normal wizard stuff, their fangs are sharp as steel."

"So?"

"So," Bakura went over to the fallen basilisk and took out a knife. He began to hack at the gums of the beast "If I can get these fangs loose I can forge and sharpen em like a normal sword or a knife. Then I can attach them to a hilt and then we'll have nice curved swords and knives. Plus they'll retain the poison, so they'll be extra lethal! We used to do it back in Ancient Egypt. I doubt the wizards will have thought of it, though. They know that the fangs are sharp, but they don't use weapons so they won't have thought of it."

"Excellent." Marik's eyes glowed. Soon, however, he got bored of watching Bakura hack at gums, so he started to explore the Chamber.

"Hey, look what I found!" Marik said. Bakura looked up and saw that Marik had gone to the left side of the huge stone face of Slytherin.

"Did you find stone earwax?" Bakura said with a grin.

"No, a door. Harry must have missed it when he was in here. Let's check it out." Marik said.

Bakura shrugged. He could go back to the teeth later. He got up and followed Marik, who had already broken the lock on the door and was entering it. when they got in they found a huge room, about as big as the front of the Chamber. In the middle was a huge nest, obviously meant for the basilisk to rest in. On the walls lining the room were shelves, most empty but a few held small chests and jewelry boxes and alchemic equipment.

"Jackpot again. Looks like Slytherin left some treasure." Bakura said, still grinning. He loved treasure.

"Yeah, but how much you want to bet Voldemort looted the joint?" Marik grumbled. "Those shelves are practically bare!"

"Maybe he missed something, let's look." Bakura said.

Marik shrugged and began to search the place. A few hours of opening boxes and rummaging through dust and he was ready to call it quits.

"Let's get going. I do have classes tomorrow and this place has been looted clean!" Marik growled.

"Patience, my friend. You'd make a lousy treasure hunter." Bakura said.

"Hey, I stole the God Cards!"

"You knew exactly where they were, you never really looked!" Bakura retorted as he dug through the basilisk's huge straw nest. "Ha!" He bellowed. Bakura rose up from where he had been digging with a smirk. "See?"

"Congratulations, oh mighty Tomb Robber. Some find gold, jewels and other shiny things; you find a moldy old book." Marik said.

"Shut up, this might have been written by Slytherin. I'm going to look at it."

"Hey, remember what happened to that Ginny girl!" Marik protested.

"My will is stronger than a little eleven year old! Plus, I'm a master of Shadow Magic!" Bakura sat down in the nest and began to read. "And it's even in Ancient Egyptian!"

"Really?" Marik said, now intrigued.

"Yep," Bakura said as he started to read "I can no longer live in this place, with these fools. My good friend, Godric Griffindor, has made that impossible. Though he is a good man, a strong man, he is not a smart man. He and the others think that the Elder Breed are the problem, yet they ignore the true threat of the muggleborn. How could anyone believe that the good and noble magical creatures, magical like us, are to be hunted down while the very people that try to burn and destroy us should be trusted! Godric takes so much pleasure in hunting down what he calls animals that he can't even see their intelligence and wisdom! Yes, he is a hero, but he can't see underneath things. I don't understand, so I leave this journal behind me. I know that one day someone can right the wrong that has been done to the elves, and that one day the Elder Breed and the wizards can live in peace. Hopefully it will come at the hands of a Gryffindor and a Slytherin. I fear that this may cause a divide within our houses, but after these events I cannot stay. The four houses were meant to work as one, not divided into two.

If you are in this Chamber no doubt you are a Slytherin, a Parseltongue, and perhaps one of my blood. That is good, and you might even be able to control the basilisk I left here to guard the school against those who would kill us all. But to read this diary you must be someone even more special. I can only hope that this falls into the right hands, so I write it in the language of my ancestors, in the hope that you might have the blood the Guardians as well as the blood the serpent.

Perhaps if you are reading this then you are like me. Once my name was not Salazar Slytherin; that was the name I took when I fled the darkness to find the light of day. I was born with the name Malic Ishtar-"

"What!" Marik bellowed. "Are you reading that right!"

"I-I am." Bakura said. "Look."

Shaking, Marik took the book and scanned the carefully written hieroglyphics. He stared, but said nothing. He was pale, and he was swaying on his feet as if he couldn't quite get his balance.

"Marik?"

"Bakura, once my father told me a story. He said that our great something grandfather ran away from his duties as a Tomb guardian. He left his family, his wife and unborn son, and was killed in the outside world. His name was Malic…he was cursed by our family and held as an example of a traitor and a fool."

"Marik, if this thing is right, do you know what that means?" Bakura asked.

"My dad was even more of a colossal jerk?"

"No, it means that Voldemort isn't really the heir of Slytherin, you are." Bakura said.

Marik stared at Bakura for a long moment, and then then he laughed. It was a wild, hysterical laugh, and for a moment Bakura thought that his friend had been driven over the edge. But, not the perfect model of sanity himself, he did not know what do for him.

After a while Marik calmed down. Bakura put his hand on his friend's shoulder "Are you okay?"

"I don't know. But I have to take this thing with me. Read more of it. I have to know if this is real." Marik pocketed the book and backed away from Bakura. "I have to go. Have fun in here." Using the Shadow Magic Marik left.

/I don't think he is okay./ The normal Bakura said.

/I don't think so either./

/What do we do?/

/I wish I knew, Bakura, I really wish I knew./ The spirit said with a depressed sound. Then his tone seemed to brighten /But even if it isn't true we can still use it!/

/Use it? Use it! But, Marik is our friend! You sound like you want to use him!/

/I'll use whatever I can to win./ Yami Bakura said as he left the room and went back to loosening the teeth of the fallen basilisk.

/We can't!/

/We can, and if Marik was our position, he would do the same thing./ Yami Bakura said as he finally got a tooth. He held it in front of his eyes, checking for impurities.

/It's wrong!/

/I know, kid, I know./ Yami Bakura said. If there was any regret in his voice Bakura could not detect it.


End file.
